Kirchner spent the last 16 seasons working for the Seahawks alongside the Vikings’ recently hired GM Nolan Teasley. Kirchner spent the last seven seasons as the Seahawks’ vice president of player personnel and “is widely regarded as one of the NFL’s top talent evaluators.” The Vikings also hired Andrew Healy as an assistant general manager. He previously served as the Browns’ vice president of research and strategy and will now serve as the team’s secondary football executive.
Both Pollard and Spears are entering contract years. Pollard, 29, has missed just one game over the past two seasons, while Spears, 24, has missed nine. Spears also entered the NFL with concerns regarding one of his knees, which has full thickness cartilage loss and is missing its ACL. Pollard has been far more productive than Spears, who acknowledges he needs to prove his consistency to the coaching staff, but Pollard’s age is working against him. Both players appear locked into the top-two spots on the depth chart, but Glennon thinks it’s “not a huge stretch to see” RB Nicholas Singleton becoming the team’s primary ball-carrier in 2027. Of course, we are a long way from having an answer to this. The Titans’ backfield developments in training camp are worth following, though.
Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald revealed on Wednesday that Arroyo was working through something, but was expected to be ready for training camp. Getting back early, even in a limited capacity, is good to see. Arroyo’s past few years, both in college and in his NFL rookie season, have been slowed by knee issues. Fellow backup TE Eric Saubert resumed practicing as well. Hopefully, both players are practicing fully before long.
Reed did end up playing with the first-team offense, at one point snagging back-to-back completions from QB Jordan Love. Golden disappointed as a rookie last year, posting a 29.361/0 receiving line. Reed went 19/207/1, but played in only seven games due to injury. Golden, a first-round pick from 2025, is getting his chance to earn a role in two-wide receiver sets opposite WR1 Christian Watson. Returning reliable FLEX value is difficult if one is limited to the WR3/slot role. If Reed is unable to beat out Golden in training camp, we could be looking at another volatile season from Reed. Golden’s outlook is tough to forecast, but getting on the field in heavy personnel packages would be positive.
This means that Fannin missed all of organized team activities and mandatory minicamp, which is slightly concerning. Fannin’s only injury, on record, is the groin injury he suffered during a Week 17 practice, which limited him to less than one quarter of play through the season’s final two weeks. We hope to get word on whatever is ailing him by the time training camp rolls around. For what it’s worth, Jackson seemed unbothered by Fannin’s absence and expects him to compete for the No. 1 pass-catcher role. We do, too. He has decent odds of winning the role.
In a lengthy report on Walker’s acclimation to his new team, Taylor explores the ways in which Chiefs coach Andy Reid, RB coach Eric Bieniemy and OL coach Andy Heck are tinkering with different run concepts. Walker prefers running the ball when the quarterback is under center, rather than in shotgun, and the Chiefs led the league in yards per play (8.3) back in 2022, the final season of Bieniemy’s stint as their offensive coordinator. He spent 2025 as the Bears’ running backs coach and is expected to implement the “clever shifts, motions and counter-attacking runs” he learned from coach Ben Johnson. Taylor notes that Walker is diligently working on his pass protection and receiving abilities, noting that in the two practices open to reporters, Walker has caught every pass thrown by QBs Patrick Mahomes and Justin Fields. Walker’s “speed and vision” on a “sophisticated screen pass” elicited cheers from his teammates. This is a positive update on Walker’s quest to be a “feature back” in Kansas City.
Studesville spent 2022-25 serving as the Dolphins’ assistant head coach and running backs coach under former Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel. According to the Chicago Sun-Times’ Jason Lieser, over the past year, Johnson has mentioned multiple times that he is fascinated by McDaniel’s creativity in the run game. Lieser did not elaborate on which tactics Johnson is interested in learning more about, but a cursory PFF data review shows the Dolphins used lead run concepts at the league’s third-highest rate (32.5 percent) last year, while Johnson’s Bears used them at just a 14.6 percent rate. Adding some of the creative — and successful — concepts that Studesville learned from McDaniel can only be viewed as a good thing for Bears RBs D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai.
The Bills waived Strong yesterday, with a non-football injury designation. Strong’s football future was uncertain after he underwent surgery to correct a neck injury in February, but apparently, there is a chance he can play again at some point. The Bills moved him to season-ending injured reserve after signing him, so he will ostensibly rehab all year in an effort to resume playing in 2027.
Kelly published an offseason awards list today, and Willis’ review was not great. Kelly believes the coaching staff " needs to find a way to improve his processing speed.” He also thinks Willis “needs to spend the next month developing better chemistry with his weaponry.” The latter issue has been mentioned before by coach Jeff Hafley and OC Bobby Slowik. To be fair to Willis, Kelly notes that Willis never once attempted a scramble in practice open to media members because he is trying to refine his pocket passing. Unfortunately, Kelly believes Willis failed to put distance between himself and backup QB Quinn Ewers, whom Slowik complimented publicly earlier this month. Willis will score plenty of fantasy points with his legs this season, but he will need to produce at least somewhat reliably as a passer as well.
Oh, boy. Kelly giveth and taketh away. On the one hand, Kelly believes Tolbert “seems ready to handle the split end, possession receiver role.” On the other hand, Kelly thinks Tolbert is a replacement-level player. Tolbert has cleared 275 receiving yards just once in his four-year career. Kelly is probably right. If Tolbert can become the clear-cut No. 1 target, he might be able to return FLEX value, but he could be an extremely volatile producer.
Engram is “making light work of linebackers in coverage with eye-widening catches,” which Renck thinks could suggest Engram is headed toward a bounce-back campaign. Renck also believes Engram will be more involved in the offense thanks to Davis Webb’s promotion to offensive coordinator. Webb recruited Engram, his former teammate, to join the Broncos last year. Renck also rightly believes new WR Jaylen Waddle will command safety attention, clearing out the middle of the field for Engram. However, he does not address the fact that Waddle represents a massive increase in target competition. Renck also spends the entire piece comparing Engram to a banana and asks whether said banana is ripe or stuck in a tailpipe. Seriously. Engram can be viewed as a potential TE2 candidate in best ball, but we fear a tailpipe scenario is in play for those hoping he produces a TE1 outcome.
Wilson’s first two years in the NFL were riddled with injuries. A summer concussion and in-season hamstring injury slowed his rookie season development, and he was robbed of his second season after being rolled up on in an August practice. He underwent season-ending ankle and knee injuries and was replaced in the lineup by Cooper, who uninspiringly caught nine passes for 92 yards all year. Wilson, an oversized slot receiver, is unlikely to be fantasy-relevant, but it sounds like he has a chance to at least contribute this season.
Carter is participating in individual drills. He sat out for a month of the 2025 season after undergoing procedures on both shoulders last year. Late in May, Eagles DC Vic Fangio said Carter “had a good offseason of lifting” and that Carter’s shoulders “are fine,” so Carter’s limited participation is unlikely to be health-related. Eagles coach Nick Sirianni gave a non-answer when asked if this was injury-related or perhaps contract-related. We suspect it is the latter. The front office picked up Carter’s fifth-year option last year, keeping him under contract through 2027. He has a $3.7 million salary this year and a $27.1million salary next year. He is likely seeking a rich, long-term investment from the team. It remains to be seen how this will pan out, but GM Howie Roseman is a very savvy salary cap manager.
With Malik Nabers and Darius Slayton both sidelined with injuries, it’s not a complete surprise to hear that Likely was the preferred target over recently signed vets like Odell Beckham Jr. and JuJu Smith-Schuster. That said, it’s an encouraging sign for Likely and his fantasy managers, who are hoping that his first season away from Mark Andrews can lead to a breakout in 2026. Likely had a down year in 2025, posting career lows in targets (36), receptions (27), yards (307), and touchdowns (1), while appearing in 14 games. The 26-year-old tight end has shown flashes throughout his career and has drawn praise throughout much of the offseason. He profiles as a fringe TE1/TE2 with a chance for immense upside in an offense that’s devoid of top talent at receiver after Nabers.
This comes a month after Diggs was found not guilty in court on charges that alleged he assaulted a private chef last year. Given the league’s review of the matter, Diggs won’t be in danger of suspension, which could spark interest in the 32-year-old free agent. Diggs has been linked to several teams as a possible fit, including the Chiefs, Commanders, and Ravens, while a return to the Patriots seems highly unlikely at this point. In his lone season with the Patriots, Diggs caught 85 passes for 1,013 yards and four touchdowns. While he’s unlikely to contribute as a true WR1 at this stage in his career, Diggs would be a solid WR2 for several teams in need of help at the position and could still provide an occasional splash week for fantasy managers.
The Deshaun Watson experiment hasn’t gone as the Browns hoped when they traded for him in 2022 and signed him to a record-setting four-year, $230 million contract. Watson’s performance on the field has been underwhelming, and the torn Achilles he suffered in 2024 kept him on the sidelines for all of 2025. Despite this, the 30-year-old signal-caller is in the midst of a battle with Shedeur Sanders for the Browns’ QB1 job this season, and Berry sounds open to the possibility of Watson not only playing for the team in 2026 but also in the future. Berry didn’t rule out Watson signing a new deal with the team after this year and said, “I think you have to be open-minded and flexible” when it comes to the quarterback position. It’s hard to imagine Watson remaining with the Browns beyond this season, given how things have gone so far, but for an organization that has started over 40 different QBs since 2000, it would seem that all options truly could be on the table. Regardless of who wins the Browns’ QB1 job to start the year, we would expect to see both Watson and Sanders at some point.
Newell said Worthy would have been “the likely winner” of a hypothetical “Team MVP” award for the practices if such a thing existed. This should all be taken with a grain of salt, as Worthy was sporting a no-contact jersey during the sessions while continuing to recover from a torn labrum, but even head coach Andy Reid said Worthy “really had a nice camp” at the conclusion of minicamp on Thursday. Worthy has struggled to live up to the hype that made him the No. 28 overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft, with injuries, missed throws, and ill-timed drops combining to make for a challenging start. Despite this, the Chiefs and fantasy managers remain hopeful that Worthy can take another step in 2026. Reid said Worthy did well in camp when the team put him “in a lot of primary positions,” which will hopefully lead to an expanded role this season, especially if Rashee Rice is suspended to start the year. Worthy is currently going around the ninth round in fantasy drafts and has averaged 5.5 targets/gm for his career. An increased workload could put him in the discussion as a potential top-36 receiver in PPR leagues.
Bowles praised his quarterback on Thursday in a media interview, calling Mayfield “a true pro” and expressing confidence that the two sides can come together on another contract extension. Mayfield is in the final year of a three-year, $100 million extension he signed in 2024 and is in the midst of negotiations for another deal before training camp begins. Mayfield has already gone on record saying he will not continue discussions once training camp starts, giving the two sides a little over a month to hammer out a deal. Bowles and Mayfield are entering their fourth season together and have enjoyed some success, with Mayfield going 27-24 as a starter while also leading the team to two postseason berths. Mayfield said last week that negotiations were “not anywhere close” to the deal he is seeking, suggesting there’s a lot of work to be done before a deal is reached.
While Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy are both expected to enter training camp in competition for the team’s QB1 role, it sounds like O’Connell would prefer to land on a decision sooner rather than later. Murray, by all accounts, appears to be the leader in the clubhouse to open the season as the starter, but McCarthy has received praise from teammates and coaches for his improvement as a passer and his ability to throw with a little more accuracy and touch. Currently going around the late ninth/early tenth round of best ball drafts, Murray could turn out to be a nice value if he wins the job and can return to the player who finished as a top-10 fantasy QB in fantasy points per game from 2020 to 2022 under KOC.
A week after being arrested for domestic violence and criminal mischief, Cooper again finds himself in trouble. This time, the Broncos’ pass rusher is being charged with misdemeanor harassment and violating a protective order. He remains in custody and is scheduled to appear in court later today. Earlier this week, Cooper pled not guilty to the charges that stemmed from his first arrest and had a jury trial date set for July 22nd. In a statement released by the Broncos, the team said they are “disappointed to learn of Jonathon Cooper’s arrest on Thursday and continue to review the matter.”
Despite some discomfort during his first season in coach Ben Johnson’s offense last year, Williams increased his yards per passing attempt from 6.3 in 2024 to 6.9 in 2025. He is expected to take another step this season. Part of Williams’ increased comfort comes from knowing exactly what’s expected of him in the Bears’ offense, and “what to expect when the team returns for training camp in six weeks.” Williams admits to feeling like he was “drowning” while trying to learn the playcalls and verbiage last summer. That’s all in the past now. Johnson’s run-heavy tactics may lead to a few subpar box scores for Williams, but he remains firmly in the QB1 tier and possesses high-end upside.
Coker entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2024. He missed Weeks 1-6 with a quad injury last year, but closed the regular season strong, scoring touchdowns in three of the final five games. The Panthers tendered Coker as an exclusive rights free agent earlier this offseason. He was set to make just $1.075 million this season. Per Rapoport, Coker can make up to $41 million via incentives. He is on the WR4/FLEX radar.
Maye and Brown have already begun generating highlight plays together against Patriots defenders. Coaches and players from both sides of the ball are highly complimentary of the new receiver, and Brown has taken on a leadership role within the offense. It sounds like things are coming together for Brown and the Patriots. Treat him as a WR2 with upside.
Running and cutting make up the next phase in Mahomes’ rehab program. The 30-year-old quarterback “would like to get a dress rehearsal run in preseason action, if he can.” Mahomes has participated in 7-on-7 drills, but has not yet progressed to 11-on-11 drills, nor has he been cleared for contact. These are the benchmarks. He seemingly has decent odds of clearing them in time for Week 1.
Morrison missed time in his 2024 college season after injuring the labrum in his hip. He almost missed time as a rookie last year, after suffering a hamstring injury in October. He totaled three pass breakups, 23 tackles and two quarterback pressures last year. Hopefully, he can return before long.