NFL Player News

As the 2026 season approaches, Metcalf is set to remain featured in a Pittsburgh WR corps that also includes trade acquisition Michael Pittman and 2026 second-rounder Germie Bernard, Mark Kaboly of 93.7 The Fan Pittsburgh reports.

Beyond the aforementioned trio, Roman Wilson, Ben Skowronek and Kaden Wetjen are in line to compete for depth-chart slotting this summer, while Kaboly suggests it's still possible the Steelers could add a veteran WR at some point during training camp. In any case, on the heels of a 2025 regular season in which he recorded 59 catches for 850 yards and six touchdowns on 99 targets to go with two carries for 12 yards and another score in 15 contests, Metcalf will continue to be a key target for returning QB Aaron Rodgers, who will be reunited with head coach Mike McCarthy, in the wake of Mike Tomlin's decision to step away from the team in January. With added competition for targets on board, however, Metcalf's fantasy ceiling in 2026 hinges largely on how Pittsburgh's passing game, still helmed by its 42-year-old signal caller, progresses under the guidance of McCarthy.

Ahead of training camp, Sampson is in line to reprise his role in a Cleveland backfield that will be led by Quinshon Judkins and also includes Raheim Sanders and Ahmani Marshall, Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal reports.

Easterling projects that all four backs will make the Browns' initial 53-man roster ahead of Week 1. While Judkins (230 carries in 14 regular season contests last season) is the clear-cut starter provided he can stay healthy, Sampson, who rushed 65 times for 175 yards and caught 33 passes (on 40 targets) for 271 yards and three receiving scores in 15 games as a rookie last year, could see enough pass-catching volume in 2026 to merit attention in deeper fantasy PPR formats.

Gabriel, who "had a very nice spring," per Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer, approaches training camp competing for a depth role behind Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders.

While the signal-caller competition between Watson and Sanders was a top storyline during Browns' offseason program, Gabriel -- who started six games a rookie -- and 2026 sixth-rounder Taylen Green are also still in the mix at the position. For now, it appears as though Gabriel and Green are slated for compete for the No. 3 QB job this summer, though injuries or even an unexpected transaction in the future could alter that narrative.

As the coming campaign approaches, Shough is slated to work in an offense that was bolstered by the addition of first-round WR Jordyn Tyson, third-round TE Oscar Delp and RB Travis Etienne via free agency, Ross Jackson of Louisianasports.net reports.

As a rookie, Shough appeared in 11 regular-season contests and went 5-4 as the Saints' starting QB after taking over for Spencer Rattler in November. In the process, he completed 67.6 percent of his passes for 2,384 yards, with 10 touchdowns and six picks, while adding 45 carries for 186 yards and three rushing TDs. This coming season, the 2025 second-rounder approaches training camp atop a signal-caller depth chart that still includes Rattler, as well as Zach Wilson and Hunter Dekkers. In addition to the Saints' investment in added weapons at the skill positions for Shough, the team looked to fortify its protection unit by signing veteran guard David Edwards and TE Noah Fant, who is underrated as a blocker, per Jackson. With continued growth in in his second campaign as a pro, Shough has a chance provide solid fantasy value in 2026 relative to his average draft position.

Ahead of training camp, offensive coordinator Nick Caley notes that said he's seen Stroud take a leap this offseason, Jonathan M. Alexander of The Houston Chronicle reports.

"There was a lot of progress that C.J. and the offense made last year," said Caley, who enters his second year as Houston's offensive coordinator. "We continued to get better from the start of the season to the end of the regular season and just continued to make progress from week to week. So we're going to continue to build on that. It's a new year. C.J. has done a great job out here. Looks good. Locked in." During the 2025 regular season, his third campaign with the Texans, Stroud -- who had his fifth-year contract option picked up in April -- threw for 3,041 yards with 19 TDs and eight picks in 14 games to go along with 48 carries for 209 yards and a rushing score. Looking ahead, he'll look to rebound from a forgettable four-interception outing in his team's divisional-round postseason exit last season, while working with a pass-catching corps that continues to feature WRs Nico Collins and Jayden Higgins, along with TE Dalton Schultz. The Texans also traded for RB David Montgomery this offseason and added TEs Foster Moreau and Marlin Klein with the goal of establishing a more effective ground game to help balance out the team's offense, per Nick Shook of NFL.com.

Whyle "took significant snaps with the starters" during OTAs and seems to be in line for the Packers' No. 3 tight-end role, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com reports.

Whyle wasn't able to make Tennessee's season-opening roster last year and subsequently joined Green Bay's practice squad. He was eventually signed to the active roster after Tucker Kraft (knee) was lost for the season but didn't make much of an impact on offense, catching just five passes on six targets for 36 yards and a touchdown. Kraft recently stated that he expects to be ready for Week 1, and Luke Musgrave (undisclosed) is likely to take the No. 2 tight-end job, but Whyle currently appears to have a good chance of making the roster as the No. 3 tight end. That wouldn't necessarily portend fantasy-relevant production, though it would put him in line for meaningful snaps if Kraft and/or Musgrave needed to miss time.

Arnold (shoulder), who faces felony charges of armed robbery and kidnapping, appeared at a hearing Thursday in Tampa, Fla., ESPN.com reports.

Per the report, Arnold was ordered held without bail until a pretrial detention hearing, which is scheduled for Monday. In a statement, the Lions said they were aware of the cornerback's situation but declined to comment "out of respect for the ongoing legal process." Arnold, who the team selected in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, recorded 31 tackles and an interception while playing in eight games in 2025 before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury.

Zac Jackson of The Athletic suggests that Concepcion will line up all over the formation in the Browns' re-tooled WR corps, as the team looks for "the best ways to utilize his explosiveness."

It remains to be seen which QB will be throwing Concepcion the ball come Week 1, but whether that's Deshaun Watson or Shedeur Sanders, the 2026 first-rounder out of Texas A&M should have a chance to make an immediate impact this season alongside top returning WR Jerry Jeudy and rookie second-rounder Denzel Boston. Cedric Tillman, Isaiah Bond and Tylan Wallace also are in the mix, but Concepcion's projected role/upside make him an intriguing fantasy option regardless of the outcome of the team's looming signal-caller competition.

According to Zac Jackson of The Athletic, Boston "might have been the most impressive offensive player in the (Browns') spring sessions."

Once training camp gets going next month, the pecking order in the team's revamped WR corps will start to become clearer. While Jerry Jeudy remains Cleveland's No. 1 option at the position, Boston -- who was the 39th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft -- has a chance to make an immediate mark as an outside receiver, while fellow rookie KC Concepcion (24th overall choice) figures to line up all over the formation. Also in the mix are Cedric Tillman, Isaiah Bond and Tylan Wallace, but a strong summer on Boston's part could help him earn enough playing time out of the gate to yield fantasy dividends in deeper formats.

As training camp approaches, Mason is slated to reclaim a key role in a Minnesota backfield that also includes Aaron Jones and rookie sixth-rounder Demond Claiborne, Alec Lewis of The Athletic reports.

Though the Vikings have yet to declare a starting QB between Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy, there's continuity elsewhere in the offense, with the team's top two RBs, WRs and TEs from last year back for another campaign. Mason is coming off a 2025 regular season in which he recorded 758 yards and six TDs on 159 carries to go along with 14 catches for 51 yards in 16 contests, while Jones carried the ball 132 times for 548 yards and two touchdowns, adding 28 catches (on 41 targets) for 199 yards and a score in 12 games. With Mason and Jones both still around, another RB timeshare -- one that favors Jones in PPR formats -- is in the making for 2026, while Claiborne is a candidate to mix in on passing downs.