Carolina Panthers tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders has seen his redraft outlook take another hit with Darren Waller now working into the first-team offense. Sanders already had competition from Tommy Tremble and Mitchell Evans, and Carolina's latest unofficial depth chart lists him third at the position. Waller is still buried on that chart while he ramps up, but the practice usage tells a different story. The veteran got his most extensive team-drill work Wednesday, including snaps with Bryce Young and the starters, and Young connected with him several times during the joint practice against Houston. Sanders is coming off a disappointing second season in which he caught 29 of 34 targets for 190 yards and one touchdown in 13 games, down from 342 receiving yards as a rookie. Waller, meanwhile, scored six touchdowns in nine games for Miami last season and gives Carolina another proven receiving option at tight end. His age and injury history leave some uncertainty, but Sanders' immediate path to routes and targets has narrowed considerably. RotoBaller recently recommended leaving him undrafted in most 2026 leagues, which fits where his redraft value stands now.

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Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus has quietly improved his redraft outlook by holding onto a starting role as the preseason winds down. Atlanta's latest unofficial depth chart still lists Zaccheaus with the first team, ahead of rookie Zachariah Branch in the slot. The game usage has backed that up. In the preseason opener, Zaccheaus played six of eight first-team snaps with Tua Tagovailoa, while Branch saw just one. The Falcons then sat Zaccheaus, Drake London, and Jahan Dotson against Indianapolis, and Branch remained mostly with the reserves. Zaccheaus also moved outside during a two-minute drill in joint practices so Atlanta could get Branch onto the field in the slot, showing there is at least a path for both to play. The 29-year-old caught 39 passes for 313 yards and two touchdowns with Chicago last season after posting 45 catches for 506 yards and three scores with Washington in 2024. London, Dotson, Kyle Pitts, and Bijan Robinson will limit the ceiling, and Branch remains a threat to earn more work. Still, Zaccheaus has done enough to enter Week 1 as the favorite for a meaningful complementary role.

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Tennessee Titans wide receiver Carnell Tate had a much-needed productive day in Thursday's joint practice with Chicago. AtoZ Sports Nashville reported that Cam Ward found Tate on a back-shoulder throw down the sideline to open a move-the-ball period, then hit him for a red-zone touchdown. Tate also got open for another potential score, but Ward missed the throw. The No. 4 overall pick has been one of Tennessee's more noticeable practice players this summer, including a three-touchdown day earlier in August, but none of it has shown up in preseason games yet. Tate has been targeted five times through two exhibitions without a catch. He also missed one practice last week because of stiffness before returning two days later. Thursday was a better snapshot of what Tennessee has been seeing from Tate in camp. He has started with the first-team offense this preseason and remains positioned for a significant role alongside Calvin Ridley and Wan'Dale Robinson.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Ted Hurst III has pushed himself onto the deep-league redraft radar with a strong finish to training camp. The third-round rookie stood out during Tuesday's joint practice with Jacksonville, beating Jaguars cornerback Travis Hunter for a 15-yard gain over the middle and continuing a summer in which Baker Mayfield has shown growing trust in him. Head coach Todd Bowles said earlier this month that Mayfield trusts Hurst to be where he needs to be, while Mayfield later praised the rookie's size, speed and ability to win contested catches. Hurst's preseason numbers have been quiet, with two catches for 19 yards on seven targets through two games, but Tampa Bay has repeatedly turned to him while Emeka Egbuka, Jalen McMillan and Tez Johnson have missed practice time. He also started alongside David Sills V against Kansas City with several regulars sidelined. The path gets much tighter if Egbuka, McMillan, Chris Godwin Jr. and Johnson are all healthy, so Hurst is not a standard-league priority yet. Still, RotoBaller ranks him 11th among rookie wide receivers, and his late-camp rise makes him worth monitoring in deeper redraft formats.

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Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Keenan Allen will play in Saturday's preseason finale against the Detroit Lions, according to Stephen Holder. Head coach Shane Steichen said Allen wants to get on the field after signing with Indianapolis on Aug. 19. The 34-year-old did not play against Atlanta last week, when the Colts rested most of their starters. Allen spent the 2025 season back with the Chargers and caught 81 passes for 777 yards and four touchdowns across 17 games. He is still getting settled into a Colts offense that also features Josh Downs and tight end Tyler Warren, so even a brief appearance gives him some live work before Week 1. Steichen had previously said most starters would play around eight to 12 plays in the finale, although he did not give Allen a specific workload Thursday. Allen's fantasy role still needs some sorting out, but his willingness to play after joining the team so late in camp is a positive sign.

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When asked about Detroit Lions running back Isiah Pacheco's (back, knee) status for the Week 1 regular-season opener against the New Orleans Saints, head coach Dan Campbell said, "I can't give you anything definitive." Campbell said that Pacheco picked up a back injury in training camp, in addition to his MCL sprain, according to Colton Pouncy of The Athletic. Right now, Pacheco's knee is not the concern. If the 27-year-old Pacheco is unavailable to play in the season opener in early September, Sione Vaki is likely to step up into the RB2 role in Detroit behind starter Jahmyr Gibbs. Pacheco ran for 1,765 yards and 12 touchdowns on 375 carries while adding 57 catches for 374 yards and two more TDs as a receiver in his first two years with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2022 and 2023, but he combined for just 201 carries, 772 rushing yards, and two touchdowns in 20 games in the last two years while dealing with various injuries. When healthy, he's expected to be the backup in a change-of-pace role for Gibbs, but he is not selling himself as a handcuff target for fantasy managers with more injury issues before the start of the 2026 season. Right now, Pacheco is ranked as the RB54 at RotoBaller.

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Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft (knee) tore his ACL in Week 9 last year against the Carolina Panthers, halting what was looking like a true breakout year for the former third-rounder from South Dakota State. Despite coming off a major knee injury, fantasy managers have not been shy about drafting him as a top-five player at his position for 2026, especially after he avoided landing on the Physically Unable to Perform list to begin training camp this summer. The 25-year-old caught 32 passes for 489 yards and six touchdowns in eight games a year ago, and he has 13 total touchdowns the last two seasons, making him a popular breakout candidate again this year. However, the argument for Kraft being a clear top-five TE might have taken a bit of a hit with Green Bay's signing of former Pro Bowler Jonnu Smith on Thursday. Kraft will be the Packers' unquestioned top pass-catching tight end if he is healthy, but Smith's presence could create target competition that could prevent him from reaching his true fantasy ceiling. Two years ago with the Miami Dolphins, Smith caught 88 passes for 884 yards and eight touchdowns in 17 games.

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The Green Bay Packers are signing former Pro Bowl tight end Jonnu Smith to an undisclosed one-year deal on Thursday, sources told Jordan Schultz. Smith is one of the league's most respected veterans, and he has recorded 345 career catches and 30 touchdowns in his nine years in the NFL with the Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots, Atlanta Falcons, Miami Dolphins, and Pittsburgh Steelers. The Packers will be Smith's fourth different team in the last four years. The former third-rounder in 2017 by the Titans out of Florida International had a career year in Miami in 2024, catching 88 of 111 targets for 884 yards and eight touchdowns in 17 games, but he cratered to a 38-222-2 line in 17 regular-season games last year in Pittsburgh while sharing work with Pat Freiermuth. With Luke Musgrave (neck) on the Physically Unable to Perform list, the 31-year-old should become Green Bay's TE2 behind Tucker Kraft (knee), who is coming off a torn ACL last year. Smith is unlikely to have standalone fantasy value with the Packers unless Kraft misses more time with an injury, but his presence is not great news for Kraft's potential breakout in 2026.

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Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft (knee) said on Wednesday that he is "not doing the rep count stuff anymore," according to Matt Schneidman of The Athletic. ESPN's Rob Demovsky reported on Wednesday that Kraft, who tore his ACL in Week 9 last year against the Carolina Panthers, is expected to be a "full-go" for Week 1 of the 2026 regular season. The 25-year-old was a full participant in the team's joint practice on Wednesday against the Arizona Cardinals and took a couple of hard hits, which backs up the notion that he should be ready for the regular-season opener without being on a snap count. The former third-rounder from South Dakota State could reach a contract extension with Green Bay soon, too, that might make him the highest-paid TE in the league. Kraft caught 32 passes for 489 yards and six touchdowns in just eight starts in 2025 and had seven touchdowns the year before. If he can avoid another serious injury in 2026, he has a clear path to being a top-five fantasy tight end in an offense that lost two key receivers in the offseason in Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks.

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The Seattle Seahawks and star defensive end Leonard Williams agreed to a three-year, $90 million contract extension on Thursday that will keep him in Seattle for the foreseeable future, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. The deal includes $56 million guaranteed. Williams has made the Pro Bowl in each of his two full seasons with the organization and helped the club win the Super Bowl last year after recording 62 tackles (33 solo), seven sacks, nine tackles for loss, 22 QB hits, and a pass breakup in 17 regular-season starts. The 32-year-old veteran had 11 sacks the year before in 16 regular-season games. Since being drafted sixth overall in 2015 out of USC by the New York Jets, Williams has a total of 61.5 sacks and 637 tackles (331 solo) in 11 seasons across 175 regular-season games (166 starts). He will continue to be a key piece of Seattle's defensive line in one of the top overall defenses in the league in 2026.

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Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Dohnte Meyers has arguably been the biggest story of training camp this summer, according to Jay Morrison of Sports Illustrated, and he continues to grow his trust within the offense. The former DoorDash driver and Canadian Football League wideout took first-team reps at practice on Tuesday with WR1 Ja'Marr Chase (knee) sitting out due to an injury scare from Monday. After that, Meyers and quarterback Joe Burrow spent almost 40 minutes working on throws, routes, and chemistry. "He's had a great camp. He's quick, shifty, understands what we're trying to do. He's played a lot in the CFL. He's got a lot of reps under his belt. He's a guy that we've seen a lot out of," Burrow said. It is definitely notable that Burrow is willing to work with him outside of team practice, but it's no guarantee that he'll make the final 53-man roster heading into the 2026 regular season. But the way Bengals teammates have buzzed about Meyers since the spring, it might be an upset if Meyers isn't on the team come Week 1. For now, he is merely a name to monitor, but if Meyers continues to produce and gain chemistry with Burrow, he could push Andrei Iosivas for the WR3 role later this year.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers restructured the contract of wide receiver DK Metcalf on Thursday, converting his base salary into a signing bonus to create nearly $18 million in salary cap space in 2026, according to Field Yates of ESPN. The restructure comes after the Steelers signed the veteran wideout to a four-year, $132 million deal in March of last year. In his first year in the Steel City, the former second-rounder by the Seattle Seahawks in 2019 from Mississippi caught 59 passes for 850 yards and six touchdowns in 15 regular-season games while working with quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The Steelers gave Metcalf some help this offseason by trading for Michael Pittman Jr. and drafting Germie Bernard, but a true bounce-back to the 1,000-yard mark might not be in the cards in a new offense that could continue to run through the ground game. The two-time Pro Bowler recently returned from a nagging, undisclosed injury in training camp and should be fine for the regular-season opener against the Atlanta Falcons. Metcalf is best valued as a WR3/flex as one of Rodgers' best red-zone weapons in 2026.

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Chicago Bears running back D'Andre Swift has often been criticized for being a better athlete than NFL running back, but in his 2025 reunion with head coach Ben Johnson, he showed improved patience and better vision, leading to the best season of his career. Swift had the sixth-highest rushing success rate in the league on his way to an RB15 fantasy finish, and his ceiling could be even higher in year two of Johnson's Bears offense. Second-year player Kyle Monangai (knee) is dealing with a hyperextended knee, and with Chicago favored in five of its first six games, Swift has the opportunity to get off to a white-hot start in his seventh season. At RotoBaller's RB18, he is a player to target in the middle rounds of drafts who could see his value rise early in the year, presenting the opportunity to later flip him as a potential sell-high candidate.

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The Cleveland Browns are releasing fourth-year wide receiver Cedric Tillman, according to NFL Insider Adam Schefter. Tillman flashed in a three-game stretch midway through the 2024 season, but a serious concussion ended his year, and he has been unable to find any consistent production since. The Browns spent two top-40 picks on wide receivers in the 2026 NFL Draft, and with rookies KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston joining veteran Jerry Jeudy and tight end Harold Fannin Jr. to top a deep and dynamic group of pass-catchers, Tillman was viewed as a long-shot to make the initial 53-man roster. With the roster cut deadline approaching on Sunday, Tillman will now need to clear waivers to become a free agent at a difficult time on the NFL calendar, making him a potential candidate to return to Cleveland's practice squad.

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The Indianapolis Colts are activating wide receiver Alec Pierce from the Physically Unable to Perform list on Thursday, as reported by Mike Chappell. After signing a four-year, $114 million free agent deal to return to the Colts, Pierce underwent ankle surgery in late March after a platelet-rich plasma injection failed to alleviate the pain he has played through since the end of the 2024 season. After a career-year in 2025, big things were expected of the fifth-year receiver following the departure of Michael Pittman Jr., but a lack of availability coupled with the recent signing of veteran Keenan Allen has seen him slip to WR38 by current ADP. With just over two weeks until the Colts open the regular season against the Baltimore Ravens, Pierce faces a steep ramp-up period in hopes that he could still participate. One of the league's premier deep threats when healthy, there is potential value to be found in a mid-round swing for a player who should still factor heavily into the Colts' offensive plans for 2026.

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When the Detroit Lions have needed a clutch play or a key conversion in recent years, they have generally turned to wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, and as pointed out by Lions senior writer Tim Twentyman, that was again the case during Wednesday's practice. In a fourth-and-two scenario during full-team work, St. Brown beat cornerback D.J. Reed with a nifty inside move and took a well-placed pass from Jared Goff for a 32-yard touchdown. The three-time All-Pro has become one of the most reliable receivers in the league, with that consistency translating to three straight WR3 fantasy finishes. Hitting at least 115 receptions in each of those seasons, St. Brown remains a safe bet to earn targets while his elite red zone usage has led to triple-digit touchdowns every year since 2023. Barring injury, few conceivable paths could lead the four-time Pro Bowler to finish outside the top-five at the position, and he is RotoBaller's WR4 for 2026.

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New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough showed signs as a 2025 rookie that he was a player worth building around, and that's precisely what the team did this offseason. New Orleans made a splash in free agency by acquiring running back Travis Etienne Jr. on a four-year, $48 million deal before spending five of its eight 2026 draft picks on the offensive line or skill positions, including wide receiver Jordyn Tyson (hamstring) with the eighth overall pick. While Tyson has since dealt with a serious hamstring injury likely to cost him time at the beginning of his career, there are still pieces in place for Shough to take a sizable step forward in his second season in Kellen Moore's up-tempo offense. After throwing at a 4,420-yard pace over the back half of the year that was good enough to make him the fantasy QB10 over that time, Shough is currently being drafted as the QB20, making him a low-cost, high-ceiling player to target at the end of 2026 drafts.

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Through the first three games of 2025, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson averaged more than 30 fantasy points per game, looking like his usual dominant self before injuries derailed his season, and NFL Network's Trevor Sikkema believes a return to health could lead to big things in 2026. "I'm really excited for what Lamar Jackson could be this year," he said while appearing on NFL Report. "To me, we could see not only the regular version of Lamar Jackson, which is pretty dang spectacular, but we could see maybe one of the most explosive versions of Lamar Jackson in this Declan Doyle offense." The Ravens were one of the most aggressive passing offenses on first down last year, helping to set up the third-and-manageable situations in which they thrived, and Sikkema believes Doyle will put the ball in Jackson's hands even more on early downs. Jackson is RotoBaller's QB1 and has one of the highest ceilings in the history of the game, as evidenced by two different seasons of 400+ fantasy points, and if he can manage close to a full slate of games in 2026, he should again be a league-winner.

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The Baltimore Ravens have long been in need of a reliable No. 2 receiver behind two-time Pro Bowler Zay Flowers (undisclosed), and during Wednesday's joint practice with the Commanders, wide receiver Rashod Bateman made arguably his most compelling case of the summer that he can be that guy. With Flowers sidelined by what head coach Jesse Minter called a "minor thing," Bateman was uncoverable in 1-on-1s, 7-on-7s, or full-team drills, prompting team reporters Ryan Mink and Quentin Corpuel to praise him for what could have been his best day of training camp while acknowledging he may have been the Ravens' best offensive player on Wednesday. Bateman had a strong start to camp, but the growing hype around rookie Ja'Kobi Lane, as well as his own recent legal troubles, have slowed any momentum he had built going into his sixth season. But in some of the closest simulations of in-game scenarios the team has seen all summer, Bateman dominated, and the former first-round pick remains a player worthy of late-round consideration as RotoBaller's WR80.

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The Washington Commanders were short-handed at running back during Wednesday's joint practice with the Ravens, providing sixth-round rookie Kaytron Allen with some of his most extensive work with the first-unit offense, but he was not the only rookie to benefit from the absence of Jacory Croskey-Merritt (groin) and the limitation of Rachaad White (hamstring). With the team's top two backs both dealing with short-term injuries, Allen split first-team reps with undrafted free agent Robert Henry Jr., with both players making their share of positive plays, according to Commanders senior writer Zach Selby. Through two preseason games, Allen has more than doubled Henry's touch count, but the latter has been more efficient with his opportunities, averaging a full yard more per carry. As a Day 3 pick, Allen was never guaranteed a fantasy-viable workload, but still splitting time in what could essentially be seen as a best-case scenario, any bull case he had takes a serious hit, and there appears to be little reason to pay him mind in 2026 drafts.

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New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye was the MVP runner-up and fantasy QB2 in his second season, his first with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, and since then his weaponry has only grown stronger. The Patriots' top two receivers in 2025 were Stefon Diggs and Kayshon Boutte. The former spent most of the summer as a free agent before finally signing a one-year, $8 million deal with the Commanders, while the latter was traded to the Texans on Monday for what amounted to a 2025 sixth-rounder and a 2028 seventh-round pick. Meanwhile, the Patriots spent a first and a fifth to acquire A.J. Brown after signing Romeo Doubs to a four-year, $68 million contract. New England also ran the league's lowest percentage of plays while trailing in 2025, so a more difficult schedule could lead to even more pass attempts for Maye and a higher fantasy ceiling. The soon-to-be-24-year-old is RotoBaller's QB6, but he has the skill set and the environment to threaten for an overall QB1 finish.

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Dynasty | Giants wide receiver Calvin Austin is out for the season with a torn ACL. Dynasty Analysis: It's a tough blow for Austin and the Giants, who are searching for a reliable running mate to Malik Nabers. The depth chart behind him now consists of Darius Slayton, Darnell Mooney, Malachi Fields and possibly even Odell Beckham Jr. Someone will need step up quickly and Fields could benefit the most. As for Austin, his dynasty value was already hanging by a thread and this injury will put him on waiver wires in most leagues.

Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs has emerged as a superstar in the NFL, ranking as a top-three fantasy running back in each of the last two seasons. The Lions' backfield looks a little different this year now that Isiah Pacheco has replaced David Montgomery, but the vision for Gibbs should look pretty similar. He remains the undisputed lead back, offering a spectacular ability to run the ball, catch passes, score touchdowns, and even block a little. Pacheco should mix in on short-yardage opportunities, but it's worth noting that Montgomery did the same in Detroit, and Gibbs still scored 38 touchdowns over the last two years. In other words, we're not worried at all about Pacheco's presence. In fact, it could help Gibbs over the long run, as it keeps him fresh and healthy for the full 17-game span. He hasn't missed a single regular-season game since his rookie season in 2023. The University of Alabama product ranks as the RB1 in RotoBaller's latest fantasy football rankings for 2026, ahead of even Bijan Robinson and Christian McCaffrey.

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Detroit Lions running back Isiah Pacheco didn't have the greatest stint in Kansas City, but landing with the Lions should allow him to be utilized in a more appropriate fashion. We expect the Lions to use Pacheco in short-yardage scenarios, giving Jahmyr Gibbs an opportunity for a breather. That's similar to what we have seen in years past from David Montgomery, who handled some early-down work and got involved near the line to gain or the goal line. That role saw Montgomery score 33 touchdowns over the last three seasons, so there's a real growth opportunity here for Pacheco, who has never scored more than seven touchdowns in a single season. While Gibbs is the undisputed No. 1 back here, Pacheco is a solid handcuff who also has some standalone fantasy value because of his ability to score touchdowns in a really favorable system and environment. The 27-year-old currently ranks as the RB57 in RotoBaller's latest fantasy football draft rankings for 2026.

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Cleveland Browns running back Dylan Sampson remains in the No. 2 spot on the depth chart, but he should still carve out a role this season as a key pass-catching option for veteran starting quarterback Deshaun Watson. Sampson had 33 catches for 271 receiving yards (and just 175 rushing yards) as a rookie last year. For the most part, he operated behind fellow rookie Quinshon Judkins and mostly saw the field on passing downs. Judkins is expected to be the lead back once Week 1 comes around, so the big question is whether Sampson can have enough involvement to get on the weekly fantasy radar. It's not as simple as Judkins getting the early downs and Sampson getting the passing downs, as the former is a very capable pass catcher, and the latter does earn some carries from time to time, too. For now, Sampson has a little bit of RB3/flex appeal in deeper full-PPR leagues, but in all other formats, he's a better fit as a handcuff for fantasy managers who already have Judkins on their roster. Sampson is the RB53 in RotoBaller's latest half-PPR and full-PPR draft rankings for the 2026 fantasy football season.

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