Carolina Panthers general manager Dan Morgan said on Tuesday that running back Jonathon Brooks (knee) is "making a lot of progress" in his rehab from the torn right ACL that he suffered in December of 2024, according to Darin Gantt of Panthers.com. The Panthers are cautiously optimistic that Brooks will be able to contribute to their backfield in 2026 after he appeared in just three games in his two NFL seasons due to multiple ACL tears. The 22-year-old could have a path to being Carolina's RB2 behind Chuba Hubbard next season, too, if Rico Dowdle departs in free agency. Brooks, a former second-rounder in 2024 out of the University of Texas, will need to prove he still has the same pre-injury explosiveness, and the Panthers will undoubtedly ease him back in when he returns to the field. Brooks will be a big question mark going into the 2026 season.

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San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch said on Tuesday at the NFL scouting combine that "nothing will happen until the new league year" when discussing parting ways with wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee), according to Matt Barrows of The Athletic. We already know that Aiyuk won't be playing for the Niners in 2026, but he won't be officially released until the start of the new league year next month. The 27-year-old former first-rounder signed a four-year, $120 million contract with the team in August of 2024 and then played in only seven games that year, catching 25 of 47 targets for 374 yards and no touchdowns. Aiyuk didn't play at all in 2025 due to his knee injury and wasn't going to return to the Bay Area after the team voided guarantees in his contract. He'll certainly attract attention on the open market, but fantasy managers will be wary after all the missed time.

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Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard said on Tuesday that he's "hopeful" the team will be able to re-sign impending free-agent wide receiver Alec Pierce and quarterback Daniel Jones (Achilles) to new contracts before either of them can potentially hit the open market in mid-March. The Colts have until March 3 to decide if they will use the franchise or transition tag on either Pierce or Jones. At the moment, Ballard said the Colts aren't planning on tagging either player. If Pierce or Jones aren't signed by March 9, they can begin negotiations with all 31 other teams. Pierce, 25, led the NFL in yards per catch (21.3) for the second straight year and had his first career 1,000-yard season in 2025 while leading the team in receiving. He became the third player in the last 30 years to have 1,000 yards on 50 or fewer receptions. Pierce's fantasy stock is obviously rising after his big season in 2025, and he might have an even higher ceiling if he leaves Indy.

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San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch reiterated the team's desire to keep backup quarterback Mac Jones at the NFL scouting combine on Tuesday, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN. "He's really good for us, and we value that. And so somebody would have to come with something fairly strong for us to consider (trading him). And then I don't know what we do. Obviously, there's always something that would make you (do it), but I think we're a better team with him on it and we just like having him around," Lynch said. The 27-year-old signed a two-year, $8.41 million deal with San Fran in March of last year and ended up playing in 11 games (eight starts) with Brock Purdy missing a good chunk of the season with a turf-toe injury. Jones played well, too, throwing for 2,151 yards, 13 touchdowns, and six picks while going 5-3. QB-needy teams will come calling, but it sounds like the Niners will need to be blown away by a trade offer to even consider dealing him.

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Carolina Panthers impending free-agent running back Rico Dowdle wasn't happy with the way the 2025 season ended and seemed like a man not interested in re-signing, but he "has sent out social-media messages since then suggesting he might," according to Darin Gantt of Panthers.com. General manager Dan Morgan said the "door was open" for Dowdle to return, but they will let him test the free-agent market. If Dowdle doesn't re-sign, the Panthers are happy with the rest of the RB room, which includes Chuba Hubbard, former second-rounder Jonathon Brooks, and last year's fourth-rounder, Trevor Etienne. The 27-year-old Dowdle led Carolina in rushing last year, running for 1,076 yards and six touchdowns on 236 carries over 17 regular-season games. It was his second straight 1,000-yard season. He was involved in more of a timeshare down the stretch with Hubbard, though, and Dowdle has made it clear he wants an opportunity to be a lead back. That's unlikely to happen if he stays with the Panthers.

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Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton said that offensive coordinator Davis Webb will be the team's offensive play-caller in 2026, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. It's an interesting and notable move for Denver's offense and for Payton, who has always called the offensive plays as a head coach in the NFL. Webb, 31, is a former backup quarterback in the NFL and was a head-coaching candidate for a few teams this offseason before the Broncos fired former OC Joe Lombardi and promoted Webb, who was formerly the QBs coach. If the Broncos' offense goes backwards under Webb, Payton can always take back over. If Webb has a very tight relationship with QB Bo Nix (ankle), this could ultimately be a good thing for the Broncos' offense moving forward. One of the top priorities for Webb in his first year as the OC will be to fix a running game that has been subpar the last two years.

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The Minnesota Vikings have had trade talks with teams regarding two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, sources told Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports. If the Vikings don't find any takers for the 33-year-old veteran on the trade market, they are fully expected to release him this offseason. In the first year of his two-year, $30 million contract that he signed with Minnesota in March of last year, Hargrave had 52 tackles (18 solo), 3.5 sacks, six QB hits, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery in 16 games played. He wasn't all that productive, but he did stay healthy for the Vikings after playing in only three games the year prior with the San Francisco 49ers due to a triceps injury. The two-time Pro Bowler could be running out of gas after originally being a third-round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2016 out of South Carolina State.

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The Dallas Cowboys have an offer on the table that would make impending free-agent kicker Brandon Aubrey the "highest-paid kicker in the NFL," a source told Clarence Hill Jr. of DLLS Sports. A deal isn't done, though, and Aubrey "wants more than they offered." Aubrey, 30, is a restricted free agent this offseason and will most likely be back with Dallas one way or another. In Dallas' high-scoring offense, Aubrey continues to be a high-end option in fantasy football. He had another strong campaign in 2025, making 36 of his 42 field-goal tries (85.7%) and 47 of his 48 extra-point attempts to finish as the No. 3 kicker in overall fantasy points in 17 games. Aubrey has been a Pro Bowl kicker in all three of his NFL seasons and has made 35-plus field goals in all three years. Dallas should have another strong offense in 2026, making him an easy call as a top-five fantasy kicker.

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Las Vegas Raiders general manager John Spytek said on Tuesday that he expects All-Pro pass-rusher Maxx Crosby to be with the team in 2026, according to Kevin Patra of NFL.com. Crosby is going to have to want to be in Vegas, though, and that's still up in the air after the Raiders shut the 28-year-old down against his wishes at the tail end of last season due to a knee injury that required offseason surgery. "Maxx is an elite player, and I've been very upfront from the start when I got here that we're in the business of having really good players on the team, and we need a lot more of them," Spytek said. The Raiders are going to have a sky-high asking price on Crosby -- potentially two first-round picks and an impact player -- so it's uncertain if any team would be willing to meet those demands. Regardless of where he's playing in 2026, if Crosby is healthy, he'll be a must-start defensive lineman in IDP fantasy leagues. Crosby has been a Pro Bowler each of the last five seasons and has 52.5 sacks in 78 games played in that span.

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The Houston Chronicle's Jonathan M. Alexander writes that "all signs point to a potential break between" running back Joe Mixon (ankle, foot) and the Houston Texans this offseason. Mixon ran for over 1,000 yards and had 11 touchdowns in 2024, but he didn't play at all in 2025 due to a freak ankle/foot injury last offseason. There are no injury updates on the 29-year-old this offseason after he had surgery, and general manager Nick Caserio said that Mixon's future with the club is "day-to-day." The Texans originally were hoping that Mixon would return last year, but he never did, and he sought treatment outside of the team's facilities. Mixon is entering the final year of a three-year deal he signed back in 2024, but the final year of the deal isn't guaranteed. The Texans, who are currently $4.9 million over the salary cap, could save $8.5 million in cap space by cutting him. Regardless of where Mixon is playing in 2026, his fantasy stock will be way down, and it's not even a guarantee he'll be ready for Week 1.

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There have been rumblings that the Indianapolis Colts will release wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. this offseason to free up salary cap space, but it doesn't sound like a foregone conclusion. "Pure hypothetical (Michael Pittman Jr.) won't be here," general manager Chris Ballard said at the NFL scouting combine on Tuesday. Pittman did have a career-high seven touchdowns in 17 games in 2025 in his sixth year in the league, but his 784 receiving yards were his fewest since his rookie year in 2020. His 2026 fantasy value will hinge on where he's playing in the upcoming season. If the Colts restructure his contract and also re-sign Alec Pierce, Pittman will be more of a WR3/flex. The best-case scenario would be staying in Indy and having Pierce leave in free agency. The Colts have a lot of balls up in the air this offseason, but it sounds like they prefer to keep Pittman, if possible.

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Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes said that he's "been in touch" with running back David Montgomery and his agent and that they've had "healthy dialogue," according to Eric Woodyard of ESPN. "Those conversations are still fluid, and we'll just see how it goes," Holmes said during the NFL combine. Releasing the 28-year-old would save the team $3.5 million. Monty's role has shrunk in each of the last two years, and he really saw his involvement evaporate down the stretch in 2025. In 17 games played, the former third-rounder by the Chicago Bears in 2019 out of Iowa State had a career-low 158 carries for a career-low 716 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. He added 24 catches for 192 scoreless yards as a receiver. Montgomery might be more of a distant No. 2 behind Jahmyr Gibbs in 2026 if he sticks around, but a RB-needy team might be willing to trade for him this offseason.

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Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider said at the NFL combine on Tuesday that the team "obviously would love" to re-sign Super Bowl MVP running back Kenneth Walker III instead of letting him get to free agency. However, it will depend on how he fits into the team's plans for the upcoming season. Schneider would not comment on whether the team will use the franchise tag on Walker. Despite winning Super Bowl MVP, the Seahawks are not expected to use the franchise tag on the 25-year-old. Playing into the decision will be the torn ACL that fellow RB Zach Charbonnet (knee) suffered in the playoffs, but an extension for receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba will likely be the priority. Walker, a former second-rounder, has had trouble staying healthy in the past, but he played in all 17 regular-season games in 2025, rushing for 1,027 yards and five TDs on 221 carries. If Walker makes it to free agency, he'll be one of the top RBs available this offseason.

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Despite an injury-plagued 2025 campaign, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers want to re-sign impending veteran free-agent wide receiver Mike Evans, according to James Palmer of the NFL Network. "He's earned the right to do this. And he knows we'd love to have him back," general manager Jason Licht said on Evans and him exploring free agency. Evans, 32, is a future Hall of Famer after beginning his career with 11 straight 1,000-yard seasons in Tampa. However, the six-time Pro Bowler is aging and played in a career-low eight games in 2025 due to hamstring and collarbone injuries. At this point in Evans' career, having another shot to win another Super Bowl ring is probably most important, so he'll have to determine if another team is a better fit with a better chance of winning. If he stays with the Bucs, he'll be in a crowded receiving room. Either way, the days of Evans being a lock for 1,000 yards might be over.

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Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles said it's "hard to tell" if wide receiver DJ Moore will be on the team next season or if they will look to trade him, according to Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team. The Bears expect to know more over the course of this week as they gauge his trade market at this week's NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis. Moore, 28, is two years into the four-year, $110 million contract he signed with Chicago in July of 2024. The former 24th overall pick in 2018 out of Maryland had some clutch moments in 2025, but he took a big step back statistically in head coach Ben Johnson's offense, reeling in a career-low 50 passes for a career-worst 682 yards and six touchdowns on 85 targets over 17 regular-season games. The emergence of young receiver Luther Burden III and tight end Colston Loveland will make it difficult for Moore to stand out in fantasy every week if he sticks around in 2026, especially with Rome Odunze also in the mix.

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Arizona Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort said that he talked with quarterback Kyler Murray (foot) since the 2025 season ended, but a source told ESPN's Josh Weinfuss that the two have not talked since the season ended. Murray didn't play last year beyond Week 5 after suffering a foot injury, and his future in Arizona is in question. If Murray is on the active roster on the fifth day of the new league year, he'll be due a guaranteed roster bonus for 2027 of $19.5 million. Ossenfort said on Tuesday that talks about Murray's future with the organization take place "daily." The GM also said that "all options are on the table for us" with Murray. Veteran Jacoby Brissett remains under contract with the team and played better than Murray when he took over for the injured QB. The most likely scenario is that Arizona trades Murray within the next three weeks.

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Arizona Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort made it sound like the team is interested in a long-term contract extension with wide receiver Michael Wilson, according to AZCardinals.com. "Michael is about everything we want in our program to be about, and hopefully he is here for a long time," Ossenfort said on Tuesday at the NFL scouting combine. Wilson is heading into the final year of the four-year, $5.34 million contract he signed with the team in May of 2023, and he's coming off his best year as a pro. The 26-year-old was a beast down the stretch and finished with career-highs across the board in catches (78), targets (126), receiving yards (1,006), and touchdowns (seven) in 17 games played. He had an 8-52-1 line through the first five games in 2025. Wilson proved last year he's ready to take on a bigger role in the passing game, and his fantasy stock is on the rise. However, questions at QB in Arizona may make things difficult on Wilson as he looks for a second straight 1,000-yard season.

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The Atlanta Falcons continue to be non-commital on quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (knee) being their starter under center in 2026, according to Josh Kendall of The Athletic. "I'm not big on giving out positions in February. I think you guys know how I feel about Michael, and I'm excited about his trajectory. I also know he's focused on his rehab, which is the right thing to do," head coach Kevin Stefanski said. Penix is recovering from a torn left ACL in 2025, so it's understandable for Atlanta's new front office and coaching staff to be non-committal on him going into next season. Penix expects to be ready for Week 1 of the regular season this fall, but the reality is we won't have a better idea of his availability until this summer. The former first-rounder wasn't all that impressive in 2025 before his injury, and he's now rehabbing from his third torn ACL. Penix is determined to heal up and return as the starter, but he'll have to prove it to the team's new brass first. Now might be a perfect time to buy low on Penix in dynasty/keeper leagues, although his injury history dating back to college is worrisome.

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The Atlanta Falcons officially placed the franchise tag on tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. on Tuesday, according to Tori McElhaney of AtlantaFalcons.com. It's just the fourth time in franchise history that the team has used the franchise tag, with defensive tackle Grady Jarrett the last recipient of the tag in 2019. Officially, the tag is a non-exclusive franchise tag, which means Pitts "is free to negotiate with other teams." It buys the Falcons and new general manager Ian Cunningham a little more time to evaluate what they want for the future of Pitts in Atlanta. The projected franchise tag value for TEs in 2026 is around $16 million. The 25-year-old played on a fifth-year option in 2025 and had one of his best seasons to date, finishing second among tight ends in catches (88) and receiving yards (928), and he tied his career high with five touchdowns. The former fourth overall pick was a top-five fantasy TE, but a repeat could be difficult in 2026 if Michael Penix Jr. (knee) isn't ready for the start of the regular season.

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The New York Giants are hoping that wide receiver Malik Nabers (knee) is ready for training camp this summer, according to Paul Schwartz of The New York Post. "I've been texting with him the last couple of days, and he's in a good spot, he feels good, and the plan is hopefully for him to still be ready for training camp," general manager Joe Schoen said when asked about Nabers' rehab. The Giants are going to be cautious with the 22-year-old former first-rounder, but all signs point to him being ready to go for Week 1 of the 2026 regular season this fall, barring a setback. Nabers suffered a torn ACL and meniscus in his right knee on Sept. 28 and had surgery in late October. He was a Pro Bowler as a rookie in 2024, catching 109 passes for 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns in 15 games. Nabers' fantasy stock will only continue to rise this offseason if he proves he's healthy this summer. If fully healthy, he'll have a higher ceiling as a WR1 with quarterback Jaxson Dart taking over the offense going forward.

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