USC wide receiver Makai Lemon is expected to hear his name called early on Thursday's opening night of the NFL Draft, with few pundits anticipating him getting past the New York Jets at pick number 16. Lemon played over 75% of his collegiate snaps out of the slot, and historically, slot-only receivers to earn that type of early draft capital have not translated cleanly to fantasy. In Lemon's case, though, he plays much bigger than his verified 5'11", 192-pound size, and as a bona fide target-earner, he has the nuance and creativity to both create separation before and add yards after the catch. There is a reason he is most commonly compared to Detroit's Amon-Ra St. Brown, a player whose fantasy value has grown right alongside his evolving usage. While Carnell Tate comes into the NFL having never been the primary receiver on his own team, and Jordyn Tyson's injury history is extensive, Lemon may have the easiest time overcoming his own perceived flaws, and he has a realistic possibility to emerge as the fantasy receiver to roster from the 2026 draft class.

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Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza has been the anticipated first overall pick for months, and on Thursday night, when the 2026 NFL Draft opens, the Heisman Trophy winner and National Champion will officially become a Las Vegas Raider. The Raiders have made moves all offseason to set their young investment up for long-term success. New head coach Klint Kubiak is fresh off a Super Bowl win with the Seahawks, and the team made Tyler Linderbaum the highest-paid center in NFL history. Vegas also signed veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins, who should allow Mendoza some runway to learn behind the scenes. In the right atmosphere, which the team has clearly made strides to build around him, Mendoza has the play style, size, and makeup to enjoy a long and successful NFL career. How that translates to fantasy impact may be a different story. While he is a capable runner in got-to-have-it situations, Mendoza will not reliably add fantasy points with his legs, which is why he is not even locked in as a top-two selection in superflex rookie drafts. While the Raiders appear to be getting a player who can grow into the face of the franchise, he will enter the league as RotoBaller's dynasty QB16, and his fantasy ceiling may ultimately top out as a midrange QB2.

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With several running back-needy teams selecting within the first 10 picks of the NFL Draft, Notre Dame prospect Jeremiyah Love will not have to wait long to hear his name called on Thursday night. Considered by many to be the top overall talent in the class, Love has been linked to the Giants, Commanders, Titans, and most recently the Cardinals, who pick at third overall. Historically, running backs receiving top-10 capital in the NFL Draft have seen immediate fantasy success, and Love should be no exception. In a class with no other can't-miss offensive prospects, Love is deserving of the first overall pick in rookie drafts of all formats, and having yet to take an NFL snap, he is already RotoBaller's dynasty RB4.

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The Indianapolis Colts are targeting training camp for defensive tackle DeForest Buckner's (neck) return to the field after he had surgery on his neck in 2025, according to JJ Stankevitz of Colts.com. "He's in a really good spot," general manager Chris Ballard said. Buckner originally injured his neck in Week 9 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and he returned for just one game in Week 16 against the San Francisco 49ers. As long as the 32-year-old veteran doesn't have any setbacks with his neck in training camp this summer, he should be ready for the start of the 2026 regular season in early September. Buckner is a former seventh overall pick in 2016 out of Oregon, and he's made three Pro Bowl teams while being named a first-team All-Pro once, so if he's fully healthy, he'll be a big part of Indy's defensive line. He had only four sacks in 10 games last year, but Buckner has racked up 71.5 sacks over 10 NFL seasons with the Giants and Colts.

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Free-agent DE Cameron Jordan's (Saints) return to the New Orleans Saints could be impacted by what the team does at the position during the 2026 NFL Draft, according to general manager Mickey Loomis.

From TheHuddle

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders was the first quarterback to take reps during team drills at voluntary minicamp on Wednesday, according to Kelsey Russo of the Browns' official website. Although Sanders opened the workout, the Browns rotated through quarterbacks, with Deshaun Watson and Dillon Gabriel also getting heavily involved. "We were just rotating who was first reps," head coach Todd Monken said. "It was set up in a way for us to get a look at all of them. The plan was to have Shedeur have a few more reps, but to let Deshaun and Shedeur both have reps with the ones." We can't read too much into the breakdown of drills more than four months ahead of the regular season, especially when the difference in the number of reps was marginal. At the same time, it's interesting to see Monken establish a sort of pecking order, allowing Sanders, the less-experienced quarterback but incumbent starter, to get the first nod over Watson (Achilles), who has more experience but is returning from a lengthy injury absence.

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Louisville wide receiver prospect Chris Bell (knee) is working his way back from an ACL tear that he suffered in November 2025. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports that Bell's agent and doctor told him that the NFL Draft prospect "is running 18+ MPH and ahead of schedule in rehab." This would seem to suggest that Bell might be ready for Week 1 of his rookie season in 2026. The ACL tear certainly impacted Bell's draft stock, but Rapoport said that he expects the 21-year-old to be a Day 2 pick (second or third round). Aggregate mock draft data from NFLMockDraftDatabase.com seems to agree, ranking Bell as the #55 prospect in this week's draft. He was a multi-season contributor at school, amassing 144 catches, 2,061 yards, and 12 touchdowns over the last three years (38 games). He's the #17 prospect and #9 wide receiver in RotoBaller's latest fantasy football rookie rankings.

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Miami quarterback Carson Beck has a chance to be selected in the first round of this week's NFL Draft, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com. In a conversation on the Rich Eisen Show, Pelissero said that he "can't 100% rule out" the possibility of Beck being a first-round pick. Even if Beck doesn't hear his name called within the first 32 picks, Pelissero indicated that the quarterback prospect is essentially a lock to be selected higher than most analysts and mock drafts are projecting. Up until recently, Beck was a projected fourth-rounder, according to aggregate data compiled by NFLMockDraftDatabase.com. However, on Wednesday, his projected draft position skyrocketed to #65, placing him just on the fringe of the second and third rounds. It's a shocking turn of events, but perhaps not as surprising as it seems given the thinness of this year's quarterback class. Beck was a three-year starter in college and completed an ACC-high 72.4% of his passes for 3,813 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions at Miami in 2025. Fans should now expect to hear his name called in the middle of Day 2, but we also can't rule out a late first-round pick if a team wants to guarantee an extra year of control in his rookie contract.

From RotoBaller

New Orleans Saints RB Alvin Kamara's status on the roster may be impacted by what the team does at the position during the 2026 NFL Draft, according to general manager Mickey Loomis.

Fantasy Spin: The Saints added Travis Etienne this offseason, so Kamara will likely receive a smaller role in the offense if he remains with the Saints. He should have interest from teams if he becomes available but may not be a starter for a team at this point. He can be rostered in leagues next season but may not be a starting option most weeks.

From TheHuddle

Dallas Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said that wide receiver George Pickens will play under the $27.3 million franchise tag in 2026, according to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports. "There won't be negotiations on a long-term deal," Jones says. Pickens has not signed the franchise tag, so he isn't under contract and can't be fined for missing voluntary or mandatory team activities. If Pickens' holdout drags into the 2026 regular season and he doesn't report, he could miss out on game checks of $1.5 million each week. The Cowboys and Pickens have until July 15 to work out a long-term deal. The Cowboys calling off extension talks doesn't sound like a good thing for the team or for Pickens. This could get messier in training camp and as the start of the season nears in early September. The 25-year-old had a career year with a 93-1,429-9 line in 17 games played in his first year with Dallas, and he will have a WR1 price in fantasy drafts this fall. Fantasy managers considering taking Pickens early in 2026 drafts should be wary of what is shaping up to be a messy contract situation.

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Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins (knee) was spotted on the field during Tuesday's voluntary minicamp, according to Browns beat writer Camryn Justice. It's a positive development after the second-rounder's rookie season was cut short by a knee injury. The Browns drafted the Ohio State star with hopes that he'd eventually take over for Nick Chubb as the team's primary back in Cleveland, and he quickly did in 2025, running for 827 yards and seven touchdowns on 230 carries (3.6 yards per tote) in 14 starts. The 22-year-old added 26 catches for 171 yards through the air on 36 targets. Judkins' presence on the field for the start of the voluntary offseason program is a good sign that he should be fully healthy for the start of the 2026 season. There's plenty to like about Judkins in the long-term, but he'll need to be more efficient in Year 2 in what could once again be a very inconsistent Browns offense if he wants to take the next step and become a reliable RB1 in fantasy football.

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New York Jets running back Isaiah Davis began the 2025 season as his team's RB3 behind Breece Hall and Braelon Allen. However, Allen went down with a season-ending knee injury in Week 4, opening the door for Davis to play a more prominent role. Despite the opportunity, Davis finished the year with 422 scrimmage yards and a touchdown on just 64 touches across 16 games. Allen should be fully healthy for the 2026 season, pushing Davis back down the Jets depth chart. While Davis has been efficient (6.5 yards per touch) throughout the first two seasons of his NFL career, his pathway to fantasy-relevant playing time is currently difficult to see. As a result, dynasty managers may want to consider selling Davis for whatever value they can still get before it's too late.

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A third-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson failed to carve out a role in his team's offense as a rookie. Across 10 games played, the 22-year-old recorded just 28 carries for 69 yards. He spent the year buried on the Steelers' running back depth chart behind Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell. While Gainwell departed Pittsburgh in free agency, the team brought in former Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle to replace him. As a result, Johnson appears to remain stuck in the RB3 role in Pittsburgh heading into 2026. While Johnson showed dynasty managers little reason for optimism in 2025, there would be little point in selling him now when his value is at its lowest. Johnson has the advantage of working with an entirely new Steelers coaching staff in 2026, which could provide him with the fresh start he needs. If Johnson can be had for pennies on the dollar, deep-league dynasty managers may want to consider buying very low on him.

From RotoBaller

There is a possibility that the Atlanta Falcons trade tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. during the 2026 NFL draft this week, according to John Breech of CBS Sports. New Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham already admitted that the team will listen to offers for Pitts and other players. Breech thinks that if Atlanta is serious about trading Pitts, the Kansas City Chiefs should give them a call as they look to grab their next TE for life after Travis Kelce. KC currently has two first-round picks in this year's draft, and they would likely be able to get a deal done for Pitts by giving the Falcons one of those first-rounders. The Falcons don't have a first-round pick this year (and have only five total picks in the draft), and if they trade Pitts away, they'd free up $15 million in salary cap space for this season. Pitts finally broke out for fantasy managers in 2025 and was the TE2 overall in half-PPR scoring with 88 catches, 928 yards, and five touchdowns in 17 games. A move to KC would be attractive in the long-term, but with Kelce still around for another season, it would seriously hurt Pitts' 2026 redraft value.

From RotoBaller

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf had an underwhelming season in his first year with the team in 2025, finishing the year with 59 receptions for 850 yards and six touchdowns on 99 targets across 15 games. Despite profiling as the obvious number one pass-catcher in Pittsburgh, Metcalf set career lows in both targets and receiving yards. To fortify their receiving corps, the Steelers swung a big trade for former Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. earlier this offseason. While Pittman Jr.'s presence could relieve some defensive pressure from Metcalf, it could also lead to Metcalf seeing yet another reduction in targets. Additionally, the Steelers quarterback situation currently remains in flux while the team waits for Aaron Rodgers to make a decision on whether or not he will play in 2026. Dynasty managers may not want to sell Metcalf at an apparent low point in his value, but there's a real possibility that his stock could sink even further as he enters his age-29 season.

From RotoBaller

Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride took his already stellar production to an even higher level in 2025, recording 126 receptions for 1,239 yards and 11 touchdowns on 169 targets across 17 games. The 26-year-old finished the year as the runaway fantasy TE1, and he's now hauled in a remarkable 237 receptions over the last two seasons. McBride's production in 2025 surged once veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett took over under center for the Cardinals in Week 6. Heading into 2026, Brissett appears poised to remain Arizona's QB1 for at least one more season. While the Cardinals have other capable pass-catchers in wideouts Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michael Wilson, McBride is the clear focal point of the team's offense and should remain that way even under new Arizona head coach and play caller Mike LaFleur. In dynasty formats, McBride and Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers profile as the obvious top two players at their position.

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Across 16 games with the New York Giants in 2025, wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson posted the best season of his career by recording 92 receptions for 1,014 yards and four touchdowns on 140 targets. The 25-year-old was rewarded for his efforts in free agency by the Tennessee Titans, who signed him to a four-year, $70 million deal. Robinson has always been a high-volume target earner from the slot who excels in the short area of the field. However, he showed an ability to do a bit more down the field in his last year with the Giants, upping his yards per reception from 7.5 in 2024 to 11.0 in 2025. In Tennessee, Robinson currently profiles as the number one target for Titans quarterback Cameron Ward. As a young quarterback, Ward will likely lean heavily on Robinson as a security blanket. If Ward takes a significant step forward in his second season, Robinson's production could reach an even higher level with the Titans.

From RotoBaller

The Athletic's Joseph Person writes that Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq has "been increasingly linked" to the Carolina Panthers in mock drafts with the 2026 NFL draft quickly approaching on Thursday night. The Panthers hold the 19th overall pick in the first round. Sadiq, who is a freakish athlete at his position, has gone in the top 15 picks in a couple of recent mock drafts by The Athletic, so he could be off the board by the time the Panthers are on the clock (assuming they don't trade up). Some in the Panthers organization don't think TE is as big of a need as some outsiders do, especially with how head coach Dave Canales has used the position in his first two seasons with the team. In his final collegiate season with the Ducks, Sadiq had 51 catches for 560 yards and eight touchdowns in 14 games played. Wherever he lands, he's going to be a pricey acquisition in rookie-only drafts in keeper leagues later this year. In Carolina, Sadiq could immediately become the TE1 because of his athleticism and elite speed at the position.

From RotoBaller

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy had the first half of his 2025 season disrupted by toe and shoulder injuries that forced him to miss eight games. Still, the 26-year-old was effective down the stretch of the season, finishing the year with 2,167 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. Purdy also added three touchdowns as a rusher. Heading into 2026, Purdy could be without star tight end George Kittle (Achilles) to start the year. Wide receiver Jauan Jennings also currently remains unsigned and is not a lock to be back with the 49ers. However, San Francisco made a big splash in free agency by signing veteran wide receiver Mike Evans, giving Purdy a true number one option on the outside and in the red zone. Given the unsettled nature of the offense around him in San Francisco, there might be a window for dynasty managers to buy low on Purdy.

From RotoBaller

ESPN's Adam Schefter said that Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love is a "logical pick" for the Arizona Cardinals if they stay at No. 3 overall in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft this Thursday night. However, the Cardinals have held exploratory talks with other teams about trading down from the third spot. The list of teams that have the ammunition to move all the way up to third overall isn't a long one. The Kansas City Chiefs have had discussions with Arizona about moving up to No. 3, but Schefter also notes that KC is a team also considering moving back within the first round. The New Orleans Saints (eighth overall) could move up into the top five, but that would likely be to snag a pass-rusher and not Love. The Cardinals have gone defense in the first round in recent years, but with an offensive-minded head coach, Love could easily be the pick if they stay at No. 3, even with RBs Tyler Allgeier, James Conner, and Trey Benson all currently on the roster.

From RotoBaller