The Houston Texans and Pro Bowl linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair agreed to terms on a three-year, $54 million contract extension on Wednesday, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Al-Shaair was a first-time Pro Bowler in 2025 in his second season with the Texans, and he finished with 103 tackles (48 solo), a career-high two interceptions, nine pass breakups, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery in 16 regular-season starts. The 28-year-old former undrafted free agent out of Florida Atlantic has 100-plus combined tackles in three of his seven NFL seasons and has accumulated a total of 535 tackles (288 solo), six sacks, four interceptions, 24 pass breakups, five forced fumbles, and five fumble recoveries in his seven years in the league. The middle linebacker had surgery on his thumb in the offseason, but he should be recovered in time for Week 1 of the upcoming 2026 season to run it back with one of the best overall defenses in the league. Al-Shaair finished as the No. 38 linebacker in 2025 in IDP fantasy formats.

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Cleveland Browns rookie first-round wide receiver KC Concepcion said he wants to "build a connection" with second-year quarterback Shedeur Sanders, and not veteran QB Deshaun Watson (Achilles), according to Ryan Heckman of the Dawg Pound Daily. Concepcion has previously interacted with Sanders and called him a "great guy" and a "great leader." Although the 21-year-old North Carolina State product apparently thinks Sanders should be the team's starting QB in 2026, reports have surfaced that suggest Watson is the current leader in the QB competition after early offseason workouts. Sanders has more of a future in Cleveland than Watson does, but new head coach Todd Monken might only be focusing on 2026 and who gives the team the best chance to win. Concepcion had a prolific career in college, but he'll have to battle for targets in his rookie season with fellow rookie Denzel Boston and Jerry Jeudy. His short- and long-term fantasy value might look better if Sanders wins the starting job, too.

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Cleveland Browns executive vice president JW Johnson said on ESPN that quarterback Deshaun Watson (Achilles) "looks great by the way, he's done a great job, he looks healthy, he's in a great head space." The Cleveland Plain Dealer's Mark Kay Cabot writes that Watson emerged from the team's voluntary minicamp last week with an edge over second-year QB Shedeur Sanders in the two-man QB competition this offseason. According to sources, Watson has the "inside track" to be named the team's QB1. Head coach Todd Monken is hoping to name his starter under center by the end of the Browns' minicamp that runs from June 9-11. There's still a lot of time between then, but Sanders, a fifth-rounder in 2025, has "plenty of ground to make up." Sanders will really have to impress the Browns' coaching staff to make things more interesting going into training camp this summer. Watson missed the entire 2025 season after twice tearing his Achilles, but he's made great progress and appears to be fully healthy. The 30-year-old isn't expected to stay in Cleveland beyond the 2026 season, but he might give the Browns the best chance to win immediately, and he definitely has much more experience than Sanders. If he wins the QB1 job, Watson will be a low-end QB2 in fantasy as he looks to be the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year.

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Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens signed the franchise tag on Wednesday, a source told Todd Archer of ESPN. Pickens will be guaranteed $27.3 million while playing for the Cowboys in 2026, but the organization has already said they won't sign the 25-year-old to a long-term extension before the July 15 deadline. Even though Pickens signed the franchise tag, he's expected to hold out during training camp this summer, and the Cowboys could decide to trade him for premium draft capital in 2027. If Pickens says in Dallas for the 2026 campaign, Dallas will have one of the league's top one-two punches at WR again with Pickens and CeeDee Lamb. Pickens led the Cowboys in receiving in 2025 in what was a career year, catching 93 of his 137 targets for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns in 17 games played. He was the WR5 in half-PPR scoring, and as long as he stays in Dallas for the upcoming season, Pickens is going to be a pricey WR1 early in fantasy drafts later this year.

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Free-agent DE Dante Fowler (Cowboys) is a candidate to sign with the Seattle Seahawks this offseason since the Seahawks are looking for help at edge rusher, in the opinion of ESPN.com's Brady Henderson.

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Free-agent DT Jaleel Johnson (Titans) has decided to retire from professional football.

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It's been a surprise that wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee), who hasn't played since tearing his ACL in October of 2024, is still with the San Francisco 49ers, with April coming to an end this week. In January, general manager John Lynch said that it was "safe to say" that Aiyuk had played his last snap with the organization. Lynch later said an Aiyuk-related move would come before the new league year started on March 11. In late March, Lynch said he didn't have a date when asked when the 49ers might release Aiyuk, and he also added that "we're in no rush to do that." The 49ers were discussing a trade of Aiyuk in the lead-up to last week's NFL draft, but nothing came to fruition. Lynch seemed to indicate that if Aiyuk wasn't traded during the draft, they might finally release the former first-rounder. The Niners don't appear to be in any rush to do Aiyuk any favors after a lengthy contract dispute in 2024 before his season-ending knee injury that year. Aiyuk then stopped showing up for his rehab last year, at which point the team voided the remaining guarantees on his contract. The Athletic's Matt Barrows thinks the team's first organized team activity practice on May 27 might be an "unofficial marker" for Aiyuk's release. The 28-year-old former 25th overall pick in 2020 out of Arizona State had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2022 and 2023, but he's coming off a major knee injury, which will make him a huge question mark in 2026 fantasy football leagues. The Commanders appear to be the likeliest landing spot for Aiyuk if he's eventually released, potentially linking up with former college teammate, QB Jayden Daniels.

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The Carolina Panthers officially picked up quarterback Bryce Young's fifth-year option for the 2027 season on Wednesday, according to Darin Gantt of the team's official website. It was a no-brainer move for the Panthers after Young set new career-highs in passing yards (3,011), touchdowns (23), completion percentage (63.6), and passer rating (87.8). He also had six of his 12 game-winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime in 2025, and his 12 comeback wins are the most of any QB in the NFL since 2023. While Young still shouldn't be viewed as a legitimate QB1 in fantasy football in 2026, he has proven in recent seasons that he is improving, and he was especially effective late in games and in close contests. The former first overall pick in 2023 is now under contract for the next two seasons in Carolina and has plenty of receiving weapons in Tetairoa McMillan, Jalen Coker, Xavier Legette, and rookie Chris Brazzell II to take another step forward as a passer in 2026. Young is a rising high-end QB2 in superflex and dynasty/keeper leagues.

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Updating a previous report, free-agent DE Dean Lowry (Steelers) had decided not to sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers at this point because he wants to get into game shape before signing with a team. He has been medically cleared to play again.

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Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson emerged from voluntary minicamp last week with an edge over QB Shedeur Sanders in the starting quarterback competition, according to sources.

Fantasy Spin: Watson turns 31 in September and is about six years from being relevant in fantasy now. If he wins the gig, he'll be a QB2 in fantasy without a lot of upside.

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Former Denver Broncos S Justin Simmons announced his retirement Wednesday, April 29.

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Free-agent DT Shelby Harris (Browns) agreed to an undisclosed deal with the New York Giants Wednesday, April 29.

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Former 49ers and Commanders wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. remains unsigned following the 2026 NFL Draft, which saw 36 new receivers drafted into the league. In what was often described as a "flavors class" at the position, most receiver-needy teams were able to come away from the three-day event believing they'd found an offensive fit. At his peak, Samuel's physical YAC abilities made him one of the most unique receivers in the game, but even coming off a year in which he led a depleted Commanders team in receiving yards and touchdowns, age and injuries have slowed him considerably. Since finishing as the fantasy WR2 in a remarkable 2021 season that saw him top 1,750 yards from scrimmage while scoring 14 touchdowns, Samuel has exceeded 865 total yards only once and finished as the WR28 or worse in three of four seasons. With the NFL overlooking him in free agency and turning to a deep draft class to find scheme fits, it's possible that Samuel will need to wait for a training camp injury before finding a new home, and at 30 years old and RotoBaller's WR78, he's become little more than a dynasty hold who can hopefully see one more value spike if that home provides a natural match for his once-dominant skill set.

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As a fourth-round rookie in 2025, Tennessee Titans wide receiver Elic Ayomanor led the team in targets and receiving touchdowns, but his competition heading into Year 2 figures to be significantly stiffer. After spending $38 million in guarantees to acquire former Giants receiver Wan'Dale Robinson (fresh off back-to-back 90+ reception campaigns), the Titans produced one of the NFL Draft's early surprises by selecting Ohio State prospect Carnell Tate with the fourth overall pick. Tate figures to slot in as a day one starter, and, given the investment and his familiarity with new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, Robinson is likely to become his primary running mate in two-receiver sets. That leaves Ayomanor, eight-year veteran Calvin Ridley, and special teams maven Chimere Dike to split reps when the team turns to 11 personnel. With both Ayomanor and Tate profiling as prototypical boundary receivers, it could be Ridley who finds an easier path to playing time after leading the team in both targets and yards before a broken fibula ended his season prematurely. Following a WR51 finish in his rookie season, the soon-to-be-23-year-old Ayomanor has fallen to WR79 in RotoBaller's dynasty rankings.

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New York wide receiver Darius Slayton has become a bit of a forgotten man amidst a busy Giants' offseason, and that is reflected in his dynasty value, as he has fallen to RotoBaller's WR122. At times, out of necessity in 2025, Slayton operated as the team's primary boundary receiver, but he converted the opportunity into only 538 yards and one touchdown on 37 receptions. For reference, Malik Nabers finished the year with 18 catches, 271 yards, and two touchdowns after an early-season ACL tear limited him to parts of only four games. With Nabers expected back for the start of the 2026 season, he'll be looking to recreate his historic 2024 rookie season, in which he caught 109 of 165 targets. Wan'Dale Robinson, who led the team with 131 targets in 2025 before signing a four-year deal with the Titans, will see much of his vacated workload picked up by free agent acquisitions Isaiah Likely and Darnell Mooney, as well as the recently drafted Malachi Fields. With the Giants' depth chart suddenly crowded, Slayton is projected to settle back into a more natural complementary role, and dynasty managers who were unable to sell on the strength of his opportunistic workload are stuck holding a depreciating asset.

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Former Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku remains unsigned after a down year led to his release. The 29-year-old veteran ceded a considerable workload to breakthrough rookie Harold Fannin Jr. and finished his ninth season in Cleveland with only 293 yards on 33 catches. Njoku is a plus blocker and a huge target who has long been a menace after the catch, and despite seeing 21 tight ends selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, including nine through the first three rounds, there are still tight end-needy teams on the market. With NFL offenses gearing more towards heavy personnel, this recent draft was evidence of the growing need for depth at the position, and Njoku's versatility could still make him a factor in fantasy regardless of where he ultimately lands. At RotoBaller's dynasty TE23, he's a low-cost dart throw depth piece who is likely to see his value spike as soon as he finds a new home.

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Indianapolis Colts tight end Tyler Warren converted 106 targets into 76 receptions, 817 yards, and four touchdowns as a rookie in 2025, and his opportunities could be even more bountiful in year two. The Colts have been shedding wide receivers since their mid-season trade for cornerback Sauce Gardner, in which they sent 2024 second-round pick Adonai Mitchell to the New York Jets. Shortly into the new league year, the team dealt Michael Pittman Jr. to the Steelers, and while they committed to Alec Pierce with a four-year, $114 million deal, Indianapolis has made no significant outside acquisitions through free agency or the draft. With Pittman gone, there is no player on the roster besides Warren who saw more than 84 targets last season, and the majority of passing work should now be divvied up between the trifecta of Warren, Pierce, and Josh Downs. Warren did see a significant decline in production following the season-ending Achilles injury suffered by Daniel Jones, so the quarterback situation in Indianapolis could hold significant weight in his ability to take the next step, but by all accounts, Jones is progressing well, and the team believes he will be ready for the start of the 2026 season. At RotoBaller's dynasty TE4, Warren is one of the few tight ends in the league in position to lead his team in targets and should remain a true fantasy difference-maker for the foreseeable future.

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Dynasty | The Ravens have signed quarterback Diego Pavia Dynasty Analysis: Pavia was solid last year at Vanderbilt, but became the first Heisman Trophy finalist to go undrafted since Northern Illinois quarterback Jordan Lynch in 2014. He'll slot in behind Lamar Jackson and attempt to perform well enough to be more than a camp body and latch on either with Baltimore or another team prior to next season. He's simply a player to monitor at this point.

Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks (knee) said he's been fully cleared by his surgeon to take part in the team's offseason program and feels "close to 100 percent," according to Joe Person of The Athletic. Brooks is returning from a second ACL surgery on his right knee and could have a pretty decent role in the Panthers' backfield in 2026 behind Chuba Hubbard if he can stay healthy. The 22-year-old was a second-round selection in 2024 out of the University of Texas, but he has only played in three games and has had nine carries for 22 yards since being drafted by Carolina due to continued knee issues. Rico Dowdle departed in free agency to look for a bigger role elsewhere, which leaves Brooks to compete primarily with AJ Dillon for RB2 duties behind Hubbard. Brooks will most likely go undrafted in most single-year leagues later this year, but in dynasty/keeper formats, he might be a savvy buy-low candidate for RB depth.

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The New York Jets hosted veteran free-agent quarterback Russell Wilson for a visit and are considering him as an option to be Geno Smith's backup this year, a source told Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic. Wilson, 37, is nearing the end of his career after being benched in favor of first-rounder Jaxson Dart with the New York Giants last year. In his six games (three starts) for the G-Men in 2025, Wilson completed a career-low 58% of his passes for 831 yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions. The former third-round pick of the Seattle Seahawks in 2012 out of Wisconsin had a fantastic run in the NFL with 10 Pro Bowl appearances and a Super Bowl championship, but he is nearing the end of the line and is strictly QB depth at this point in his career. If he stays in New York and signs with the Jets for the 2026 season as a backup, Wilson won't even be on the radar in dynasty/superflex leagues.

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