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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.

From RotoBaller

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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ESPN's Adam Schefter considers new Arizona Cardinals running back Tyler Allgeier as one of the biggest losers after the 2026 NFL draft last week. Allgeier left the Atlanta Falcons to sign a two-year, $12.25 million deal with the Arizona Cardinals so that he could finally be a lead back in the NFL. Then on draft night, the Cardinals took Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love with the third overall pick, thrusting Allgeier right back into a backup role. ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. says that the Cardinals could accommodate Allgeier a bit by putting Love out wide as a slot receiver in the offense this year. Love is a dynamic threat out of the backfield as both a receiver and runner, so he will give the Cardinals flexibility and versatility in the backfield, but the bottom line is that the addition of the Fighting Irish star RB is a major threat to Allgeier having a much bigger role than he saw in Atlanta behind Bijan Robinson. That's especially true since the Cardinals also have James Conner (foot) and Trey Benson (knee) as backfield options in 2026 (if they aren't traded). Allgeier could open the season as the primary back in Arizona, but before long, Love should take over.

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The New England Patriots exercised cornerback Christian Gonzalez's fifth-year option on Tuesday, a source told Adam Schefter of ESPN. This move was fully expected after Gonzalez was selected to his first Pro Bowl in Year 3 in 2025 after he recorded a career-high 69 tackles (54 solo) and 10 pass breakups in 14 regular-season games. The 23-year-old was the Patriots' first-round pick (17th overall) in 2023 out of Oregon. He played in only four games in his rookie season due to injury, but he has bounced back nicely in each of the last two seasons with a combined 128 tackles (104 solo), two interceptions, 21 pass breakups, and a fumble recovery in 30 starts. Gonzalez will make $18.1 million on his fifth-year option in 2027, but it doesn't keep the Patriots from eventually signing the star defensive back to a long-term extension. He was a big reason that the Patriots surprised everyone in 2025 to make a run to the Super Bowl.

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ESPN's Adam Schefter said on The Pat McAfee Show this week that he thinks the Philadelphia Eagles will receive a first-round pick for wide receiver A.J. Brown from the New England Patriots when the trade "comes together" on June 1. The Eagles have been open to moving Brown after June 1 all along, and the New England Patriots really want Brown, even though they signed Romeo Doubs in free agency in March. Schefter believes the Patriots will end up sending a 2028 first-rounder to Philly, and receiver Kayshon Boutte could be headed to Philly as part of the package. The 28-year-old Brown, who was a second-rounder by the Tennessee Titans in 2019 out of Mississippi, may have worn out his welcome in Philly in 2025, when he openly complained about his role on offense. Brown still finished with his sixth 1,000-yard season in seven NFL campaigns, but he also had a career-low 12.9 yards per catch and was as up-and-down as a 1,000-yard receiver can be. A move to New England to work with young QB Drake Maye could reinvigorate Brown as he enters his eighth NFL season in 2026. He'd immediately become the Pats' WR1 over Doubs if he were to be traded to New England.

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Free-agent wide receiver Jauan Jennings is visiting with the Minnesota Vikings on Tuesday night and Wednesday, a source told Adam Schefter of ESPN. The 49ers moved on from Jennings after not finding common ground for a long-term extension. The 28-year-old's market has been ice-cold this offseason after he caught 55 passes for 643 yards and a career-high nine touchdowns in 15 regular-season starts in his fifth year in the NFL. Jennings has 15 touchdown receptions in the last two years and also set career-highs in catches (77) and receiving yards (975) in 15 games for the 49ers in 2024. The former seventh-rounder's high-point mark easily could have been the 2024 season. His production soared the last two seasons, with both Brandon Aiyuk (knee) and Ricky Pearsall missing extended time with injuries in the Bay Area. If Jennings were to land in Minnesota, his fantasy ceiling would be much lower behind both Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers placed the rare right-of-first-refusal tender on free-agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers on Tuesday, sources told Adam Schefter of ESPN. It means that Rodgers can accept a 10% raise from last year's salary, which would pay him around $15 million in 2026, and the Steelers also will have the right to match any offer sheet he would sign with another team. Rodgers would only be able to sign with the Steelers once training camp begins, as another condition of the tender. The 42-year-old future Hall of Famer has not informed Pittsburgh of his decision on whether he wants to continue his career and re-sign with the team, but all signs continue to point to a reunion with new head coach Mike McCarthy. The Steelers drafted QB Drew Allar in the third round last week, but if Rodgers returns, he will be the team's starter under center for a second straight season. Pittsburgh has added some reinforcements at receiver behind DK Metcalf, including former Colts WR Michael Pittman Jr., but Rodgers should still be viewed as more of a low-upside, low-end QB2 in superflex leagues in 2026 if he's back for another season.

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The Los Angeles Chargers announced on Tuesday that they exercised the fifth-year option on wide receiver Quentin Johnston. Johnston was taken by the Bolts with the 21st overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft out of TCU. He was looking like a first-round bust after a very disappointing rookie year that involved plenty of miscues and drops. The 24-year-old then bounced back in 2024 with 55 catches, 711 yards, and eight touchdowns in 15 regular-season games. Johnston had a similar campaign in 2025, finishing with a 51-735-8 line in 14 regular-season starts. The Chargers did add receiver Brenen Thompson in the draft this year, but as long as the team doesn't re-sign veteran Keenan Allen, Johnston should be quarterback Justin Herbert's primary deep threat through the air in 2026. The 6-foot-2, 208-pounder has been a boom/bust WR4/flex as a big-play receiver, but he could have even more upside in new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniels' scheme in his fourth NFL season.

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The Detroit Lions plan to pick up the fifth-year option of star running back Jahmyr Gibbs, according to Nolan Bianchi of The Detroit News. Gibbs will be due $14.3 million fully guaranteed for the 2027 season, tying him for the fifth-most expensive RB in the league based on average annual contract value. As one of the best all-around backs in the NFL, picking up the 24-year-old's fifth-year option was a no-brainer move for Detroit. He has been a Pro Bowler in each of his first three years in the league, and there's an argument to be made that he's worth the No. 1 overall pick in fantasy football drafts this year. Gibbs finished with his second straight 1,000-yard rushing campaign in 2025 and added 13 rushing touchdowns in 17 starts. Through the air, he caught a career-high 77 passes for 616 yards and five more touchdowns on 94 targets. With David Montgomery now out of town, the Lions should utilize Gibbs even more as a rare three-down back in his fourth year in the NFL. Through three seasons, Gibbs has an impressive 3,580 rushing yards and 39 rushing TDs, adding 1,449 receiving yards and 10 receiving touchdowns. The dude is a beast at the RB position.

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Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (ankle) had a successful and anticipated follow-up clean-up procedure on his ankle during his scheduled re-check with Dr. Norman Waldrop last week, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. The Broncos are expected to be conservative with Nix's participation during the offseason program, but the third-year signal-caller "continues to make strong progress" in his recovery and is firmly on track to be ready for the start of training camp at the end of July. The 26-year-old should then be ready to roll for Week 1 of the 2026 regular season in early September, barring a setback with his surgically repaired ankle in camp. The Broncos would like to see Nix start developing chemistry with new receiver Jaylen Waddle as quickly as possible, but they aren't going to rush anything. In his second NFL season in 2025, Nix nearly led the Broncos to the Super Bowl before fracturing his ankle late in the Divisional Round win over the Bills. He was a top-10 fantasy QB as well, throwing for 3,931 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions while adding 356 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the ground in 17 regular-season games. Nix has some injury risk because of his ankle, but if fully healthy in head coach Sean Payton's offense, he should at least be considered a low-end QB1 in fantasy leagues.

From RotoBaller

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.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

After spending the first four years of his NFL career with the Baltimore Ravens, tight end Isaiah Likely landed a three-year, $40 million deal with the New York Giants in free agency. Likely flashed upside throughout his time with Baltimore, but his path to consistently fantasy-relevant production was often blocked by the presence of veteran Ravens tight end Mark Andrews. In New York, Likely could find himself in another timeshare for tight end snaps with incumbent Giants tight end Theo Johnson. Johnson had a solid year in 2025, recording 45 receptions for 528 yards and five touchdowns on 74 targets across 15 games. However, given the financial investment the Giants made in Likely and the fact that he's following former Ravens head coach John Harbaugh from Baltimore to New York, it wouldn't be shocking to see Likely open the year as the clear TE1. The Giants also do not have an obvious second option in the passing game behind star wideout Malik Nabers (knee), which could further open the door for a breakout year from Likely. A significant jump in production for Likely is not guaranteed, but his dynasty value is in a better spot after his move to New York.

From RotoBaller

Across 15 games with the San Francisco 49ers in 2025, wide receiver Jauan Jennings hauled in 55 receptions for 643 yards and nine touchdowns on 90 targets. With 49ers wideouts Brandon Aiyuk and Ricky Pearsall both missing significant time, Jennings spent most of the year as San Francisco's WR1. However, despite his solid production, Jennings currently remains an unrestricted free agent. While there are surely a number of teams interested in securing his services, recent reports indicate a league consensus that Jennings is holding out for more money than he is worth. The 49ers signed veteran wideouts Mike Evans and Christian Kirk in free agency and used a second-round pick in the 2026 Draft on Ole Miss wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling, which could be an indication that the team no longer considers Jennings a part of its plans. With his future currently in limbo, Jennings' dynasty value is slowly starting to fade as he enters his age-29 season.

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Chicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III got off to a slow start to his rookie season in 2025, recording just 13 catches in his first seven NFL games. However, the 22-year-old closed the year on a tear, hauling in 21 receptions for 324 yards and a touchdown on 26 targets over his final four contests. This offseason, the Bears have added veteran wide receiver Kalif Raymond in free agency and LSU wideout Zavion Thomas with a third-round pick in the 2026 Draft. However, Chicago also traded away veteran wideout DJ Moore. All in all, Burden III looks to be in a prime position to enter 2026 as the Bears' WR2 alongside Rome Odunze. Burden III has proven to be a big-play threat with the ball in his hands, and he has the benefit of playing in a Chicago offense that should only be ascending with the promising quarterback/play-caller combination of Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson in place for the long haul. In dynasty formats, Burden III looks like a potential breakout candidate heading into 2026.

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A third-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Green Bay Packers running back MarShawn Lloyd has not factored at all in his team's offense. Thanks to myriad injury issues, Lloyd has played in just one game and owns six career carries across his first two NFL seasons. Heading into 2026, star running back Josh Jacobs remains firmly atop Green Bay's running back depth chart. However, the Packers lost 2025 RB2 Emanuel Wilson in free agency, and the team did not add a running back with any of its 2026 draft picks. As a result, Lloyd figures to enter training camp in a battle with Chris Brooks and Pierre Strong Jr. for the backup running back role in Green Bay. Lloyd's injury history and his complete lack of NFL production to this point are both major red flags. Still, in deep dynasty leagues, Lloyd may be worth taking a chance on just in case he wins the Packers RB2 job and emerges as a priority handcuff running back.

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After spending the first four seasons of his career with the Minnesota Vikings, wide receiver Jalen Nailor landed a three-year, $35 million contract with the Las Vegas Raiders earlier this offseason. Nailor's numbers from 2025 don't jump off the page, as he recorded just 29 receptions for 444 yards and four touchdowns on 53 targets across 17 games. However, the 27-year-old has been stuck behind the star wide receiver duo of Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison for the past few seasons in Minnesota. With Las Vegas, Nailor could be the team's WR1 and the number two option in the passing game behind tight end Brock Bowers. Nailor's main competition in the Raiders' wide receiver room is Tre Tucker, Jack Bech, Dareke Young, Dont'e Thornton Jr., and 2026 sixth-round pick Malik Benson. In dynasty formats, Nailor's value is rising as he heads into the best target-volume situation of his career.

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After spending the first three seasons of his career with the Green Bay Packers, running back Emanuel Wilson landed a one-year deal with the Seattle Seahawks earlier this offseason. Wilson flashed some upside in a backup role behind star back Josh Jacobs in Green Bay, recording 1,145 scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns on 254 touches over the past two seasons. With Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (knee) working his way back from the torn ACL that ended his 2025 season in January, Wilson looked to have a golden opportunity to begin 2026. However, Seattle added Notre Dame running back Jadarian Price with its first-round pick in the 2026 Draft. As a result, Wilson now looks to be limited to the RB3 role with the Seahawks once Charbonnet makes it back from injury. Wilson might still have some deep-league appeal as a handcuff option, but his dynasty value has taken a big hit after Seattle's addition of Price.

From RotoBaller

Houston Texans wide receiver Jaylin Noel took nearly two-thirds of his snaps out of the slot as a rookie after seeing nearly a 75% rate at Iowa State, but his path to playing time in 2025 was often blocked by veteran Christian Kirk. Kirk signed a one-year deal with the 49ers in free agency, and the primary slot duties in Houston should now fall to Noel. 2023 third-round pick, and a personal favorite target of quarterback C.J. Stroud, Tank Dell is expected back after missing all of his third season with a dislocated knee and multiple torn ligaments. Despite his small frame, Dell has spent most of his time on the outside since turning professional, and while 2026 will mark his first time working in offensive coordinator Nick Caley's system, history would suggest that, despite their radically different body types, he will present more of a competition to Jayden Higgins in two-receiver sets. Noel should still see plenty of run as the third receiver on the field in 11 personnel, and at RotoBaller's WR72, it's possible he's being severely slept on after showing significant flashes in the two mid-season games missed by Kirk.

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Cleveland Browns running back Dylan Sampson led the team in targets and receptions out of the backfield as a fourth-round rookie in 2025, and his role appears to be secure heading into his second season. After double-dipping at the position last year, the Browns made no additions to the running back room in the 2026 NFL Draft, though they did make improvements to the offense as a whole, which could create more scoring opportunities for both Sampson and 2025 second-round pick Quinshon Judkins, who appears to be on track for the season opener after suffering a dislocated ankle in Week 16. Cleveland spent the ninth overall pick on offensive tackle Spencer Fano before adding wide receivers KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston within 15 picks of one another in the first and second rounds, transforming a position of weakness into one of potential strength. The Browns still head into 2026 with a less-than-ideal quarterback situation, though negative game scripts could work in the favor of Sampson if he's able to fully take hold of the dedicated passing back role, and at RotoBaller's dynasty RB51, he offers clear upside as a low-cost trade target or add-on to a larger deal.

From RotoBaller

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins signed a two-year deal to serve as a bridge quarterback until first overall pick Fernando Mendoza is ready to take over. At the NFL's Annual League Meeting, new head coach Klint Kubiak shared his belief that a rookie quarterback should learn behind the scenes for as long as possible, and shortly thereafter, Cousins was brought in on a team-friendly contract. Kubiak also expressed a desire to split backfield carries before adding Mike Washington Jr. in the fourth round of the NFL Draft, so he appears to have a clear plan in his first year at the helm. The Raiders have made notable improvements to the offensive line and defense a year after earning the first overall pick by going 3-14, so Cousins could be provided ample leash to allow Mendoza to develop into an NFL professional. As a quarterback expected to start more than a handful of games in 2026, he could be drastically underpriced as RotoBaller's dynasty QB47, and how he looks to open the season could determine his future value should the Raiders allow him to hit free agency again in 2027 at the age of 38.

From RotoBaller