NFL Player News

Mooney is expected to work as the Giants' primary option in the slot, Alex Smith of SNY.tv reports.

Mooney was limited to 443 receiving yards with the Falcons in 2025, but he has recorded at least 992 receiving yards in two of his six NFL regular seasons. Slot receiver Wan'Dale Robinson, who signed with the Titans in free agency, led the Giants with 1,014 receiving yards in 2025. Mooney seems to have a defined role lined up while Darius Slayton (abdomen), Calvin Austin, Malachi Fields, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Odell Beckham compete for reps on the outside opposite Malik Nabers (knee), who is expected to reclaim a starting role once healthy.

Once training camp commences, Williams is slated to compete for snaps behind A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs in three-receiver sets, Evan Lazar of the Patriots' official site reports.

While it's clear that Brown and Doubs are atop the Patriots' WR depth chart, Kayshon Boutte also figures to see his share of work provided he remains with the team, with Williams, Mack Hollins and DeMario Douglas also in the mix for complementary work in a crowded positional group. For now, Williams -- who caught 10 of 21 targets for 209 yards and three touchdowns in 17 regular-season contests in 2025 -- doesn't have a clear path to volume in New England's offense, but the 2025 third-rounder, who's been working to improve his playing strength this offseason, does have the speed to help out as a downfield threat in 2026 when snaps are available.

Larison and Terrell Jennings are set to battle for the third spot on the Patriots' running back depth chart in training camp, Christopher Price of the Boston Globe reports.

Larison signed with the Patriots as an undrafted free agent out of UC Davis prior to the 2025 season but injured his foot during the preseason and spent the entire campaign on IR. Now that he's healthy, Larison will try to earn a roster spot in a depth role behind TreVeyon Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson. Jam Miller and Myles Montgomery are also vying for roles in New England's running back room.

Lemon (hamstring) noted Friday that he's "feeling great" and is "100 percent" ready to go for training camp, Olivia Reiner of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

The 2026 first-rounder dealt with a hamstring injury during the Eagles' offseason program, but based on his comments Friday, Lemon should be able to work without restrictions once training camp commences. In the wake of the team's trade of A.J. Brown to the Patriots this offseason, Lemon has a chance to operate as the Eagles' WR2 alongside DeVonta Smith this season, a scenario that gives the USC product a path to a degree of fantasy utility as a rookie. Also in the mix for WR targets behind Smith are Dontayvion Wicks, Hollywood Brown and Elijah Moore.

Mafah is in contention to land a depth role in Dallas' backfield behind Javonte Williams, Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.

Mafah, Malik Davis and Jaydon Blue will battle for the top backup spot throughout training camp. The Cowboys drafted Mafah in the seventh round in 2025, two rounds after selecting Blue. Mafah made his NFL debut in Week 18 of the 2025 campaign against the Giants and scored a touchdown on one of his five carries.

Williams remains the Cowboys' lead back entering the 2026 season, Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.

Williams is set to lead a backfield that also includes Malik Davis, Jaydon Blue, Phil Mafah, Israel Abanikanda and Dominic Richardson heading into training camp. Blue, a 2025 fifth-round pick, could be ready for a larger role in his second season, especially in passing situations, but Williams remains the clear No. 1 option for the Cowboys at running back after rushing for a career-high 1,201 yards across 16 games in 2025, Williams' age-25 campaign.

Johnson (thumb) looks like the early favorite to land the third spot on Chicago's running back depth chart, Mike Moraitis of SI.com reports.

D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai seem locked in as the top two options in the Bears' backfield, so Johnson will be tasked with holding off Brittain Brown, Coleman Bennett and Salvon Ahmed for a spot on the 53-man roster. Johnson's experience on special teams makes the 2023 fourth-round pick the player to beat for the final spot, even though he played just four snaps on offense in the 2025 regular season before finishing the season on IR due to a thumb injury.

Dobbins is jostling for position in a Broncos backfield that also includes RJ Harvey and Jonah Coleman, Luca Evans of the Denver Post reports.

Dobbins led the Broncos with 772 rushing yards across 10 regular-season games during the 2025 campaign, and he's likely to maintain a prominent role in the team's 2026 backfield mix, even with Denver having spent a second-round pick in 2025 on Harvey and a fourth-rounder this year on Coleman. Harvey is likely to get most of the pass-catching opportunities but averaged just 3.7 yards per carry in the 2025 regular season compared to Dobbins' 5.0, while the 5-foot-8, 220-pound Coleman may be the bigger threat to Dobbins' opportunities on early downs. The Broncos may opt to keep four running backs on the 53-man roster, with Jaleel McLaughlin and Tyler Badie battling for the final spot.

Nacua is heading into the final season of his rookie contract, and the 2023 fifth-round pick is a candidate to get the franchise tag from the Rams for the 2027 campaign if a long-term deal isn't worked out before then, Brock Vierra of USA Today Rams Wire reports.

Nacua has delivered elite production since entering the NFL, racking up 4,191 receiving yards through three regular seasons with the Rams, but some off-field concerns could be giving the Rams pause about extending the star wide receiver long-term. With the team in win-now mode in the twilight of 38-year-old quarterback Matthew Stafford's career, Nacua is poised to remain a key contributor for the Rams in 2026, even if the two sides don't work out an extension prior to the start of the season.

Freiermuth is a candidate to take on a larger role in Pittsburgh's passing game during the 2026 campaign, Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Freiermuth was targeted only 54 times in 17 regular-season games in 2025, tying Jonnu Smith for the lead among Pittsburgh's tight ends while Darnell Washington drew 43 targets. Smith is no longer on the team, and while the Steelers made a high-profile addition at wide receiver by bringing in Michael Pittman, they also lost running back Kenneth Gainwell, who led the team with 73 catches last season. It's worth noting Aaron Rodgers typically hasn't relied heavily on tight ends, as no player at the position has recorded more than 767 receiving yards in a regular season on a team quarterbacked by Rodgers.