NFL Player News

Sutton could benefit from more one-on-one matchups during the upcoming season following Denver's acquisition of Jaylen Waddle, Susanna Weir of the team's official site reports.

Waddle has averaged 77.5 catches for 1,049 yards and 7.5 touchdowns over the past two seasons as the Broncos' No. 1 wideout, and the team gave its WR room a dramatic new look in mid-March by dealing for Waddle. While the trade on one hand means Sutton is more of a 1A in the pecking order alongside Waddle, it may also mean the former will have more open looks with opposing defenses needing to focus heavy attention on Waddle. It remains to be seen how exactly the Broncos' offense will adjust to Waddle's presence, but with QB Bo Nix (ankle) expected to be good to go for the start of training camp and coming off a 2025 regular season during which he threw the most passes in the NFL, there should be adequate targets for both Sutton and Waddle to put up lofty receiving numbers.

Coach Sean Payton has been pleased with what he's seen from Waddle since the wideout was acquired in March in a trade with the Dolphins, Susanna Weir of the team's official site reports.

"He's someone who picks things up real quick," Payton said last month of Waddle, who put up a 64/910/6 receiving line (on 100 targets) in 16 regular-season games in 2025. "You can just feel his instincts, his quickness and his ability to not only run fast but stop fast. So, he's doing well." Looking ahead, Waddle and Courtland Sutton are slated to lead a Denver WR corps that also includes Pat Bryant, Marvin Mims and Troy Franklin. Assuming he builds solid chemistry with QB Bo Nix (ankle), who is excited about the explosiveness Waddle brings to the team's offense, the 2021 first-rounder -- who topped 1,000 receiving yards during his first three seasons (2021-2023) with Miami -- is a candidate to see an uptick in production in 2026, and in turn provide weekly fantasy utility in his new locale.

Ahead of training camp, Jared Koch of SI.com projects that Hutchinson slots in as the No. 4 option in a WR corps that also includes Nico Collins, Jayden Higgins, Jaylin Noel, Tank Dell (knee) and Lewis Bond.

Collins remains Houston's clear-cut top wideout, with Koch having noted last month that Higgins and Noel both logged frequent reps in the first-team offense on the outside and in the slot, respectively. Hutchinson's role in 2026 is thus TDB, with Dell's ongoing recovery from a knee injury a notable moving part in that regard. In 17 regular-season games in 2025, Hutchinson compiled a 35-428-3 line on 57 targets, but steady volume may not be in the cards for the 2023 sixth-rounder out of the gate this season unless injuries hit the Texans' WR corps.

Ahead of training camp, Nick Suss of the Nashville Tennessean projects that Ayomanor is line to compete for a rotational role in a Titans WR corps that added Wan'Dale Robinson via free agency and landed Carnell Tate with the fourth overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

As a rookie, the 2025 fourth-rounder logged a 41/515/4 receiving mark on 89 targets in 16 regular-season contests, while fellow fourth-round choice Chimere Dike put up a 48/423/4 mark (on 74 targets). However, with Robinson and Tate on board and slated to command their share of targets in 2026, both Ayomanor and Dike face obstacles to steady volume in their second pro campaigns, especially given that Calvin Ridley -- who was limited to seven games last year -- remains in the mix. In that context, Ayomanor brings modest fantasy lineup appeal to the table out of the gate this season unless injuries hit Tennessee's pass-catching corps in advance of Week 1.

As the coming season approaches, Nick Suss of the Nashville Tennessean projects that Dike is in line to compete for a rotational role in the Titans' re-tooled WR corps.

As a rookie, the 2025 fourth-rounder compiled a 48/423/4 receiving line (on 74 targets) across 17 regular-season games, adding a pair of punt return scores, while fellow 2025 fourth-rounder Elic Ayomanor logged a 41/515/4 mark on 89 targets. However, the free-agent addition of Wan'Dale Robinson, coupled with the selection of Carnell Tate fourth overall in the 2026 NFL Draft, poses a threat to the volume of both Dike and Ayomanor in their second pro campaigns, given that Calvin Ridley (limited to seven games last year) also remains in the mix. As Suss notes, Dike's speed makes him an asset, but as Week 1 approaches the Florida product's weekly role in Tennessee's passing game is TBD considering his team's offseason moves. That said, Dike should continue to make his mark as a returner after establishing the all-time NFL rookie record for all-purpose yards (which included 1,588 kickoff return yards and 398 punt return yards) in 2025.

Dotson is set to compete for slotting in a "wide open" Atlanta wideout depth chart behind Drake London, Bobby Kownack of NFL.com reports.

Dotson had some solid stretches early in his career with Washington, but his production dropped dramatically after he was traded to the Eagles ahead of the 2024 season. Of course, Philadelphia had the stud wideout duo of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith hogging most of Jalen Hurts' targets and consequently impeding Dotson's opportunities. Things are a bit different for the Penn State product after he signed with Atlanta in early March -- though London (undisclosed) is the team's clear alpha at wideout, the No. 2 slot in the WR pecking order is probably going to come down to whoever wins the competition between Dotson, Olamide Zaccheaus and third-round rookie Zachariah Branch. With that said, the Falcons will also feature TE Kyle Pitts and RB Bijan Robinson as key components of their air game, so even if Dotson emerges with a starting role, he figures to be behind multiple players in terms of distribution of targets.

As the coming season approaches, Kupp is line to reprise a key role in a Seahawks wide receiver corps led by reigning Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Justin Melo of USA Today reports.

Smith-Njigba led the NFL with 1,793 receiving yards in 17 regular-season games last season, with Kupp finishing a distant second on the team in that category with 593 yards (on 47 catches) through 16 contests. Those marks were well off the volume/production level that made Kupp a high-rated fantasy option earlier in his career, but looking ahead, the 33-year-old should maintain enough of a complementary role behind Smith-Njigba (in a Seattle passing game that also features fellow WR Rashid Shaheed and TE AJ Barner) to merit lineup consideration in deeper fantasy formats.

Cooper was the Jets' most impressive rookie in spring practices and looks to have solidified his spot in three-receiver sets, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com reports.

The Jets traded up into the first round to draft Cooper 30th overall. The versatile rookie out of Indiana played both on the outside and in the slot in college, which should help Cooper get on the field consistently alongside Garrett Wilson and Adonai Mitchell. Per Geoffrey A. Knox of USA Today Jets Wire, Mitchell and slot receiver option Isaiah Williams were two of the Jets' top performers during the offseason program, so Cooper will need to continue building on his strong spring to secure playing time. That being said, Cimini expects Cooper's physical playing style to help the rookie shine even more once the pads come on in training camp.

Tate impressed with his route running and catching ability at OTAs, and teammate Alontae Taylor described the rookie fourth overall pick as "polished," Turron Davenport of ESPN.com reports.

Tate has looked NFL-ready early on, suggesting the rookie wide receiver out of Ohio State won't face a steep learning curve as he adjusts to playing at the professional level. He could quickly emerge as the top receiving option for the Titans, who didn't have a player exceed 560 receiving yards during the 2025 regular season. Tate is building chemistry with 2025 first overall pick Cam Ward, who threw for 3,169 yards in a rocky rookie season.

Bech performed well during OTAs and could be a key part of Vegas' receiving corps under new head coach Klint Kubiak, Michael Canelo of SI.com reports.

Bech had just 20 catches for 224 yards across 16 regular-season games as a rookie, but the 2025 second-round pick could get more opportunities in his second season as part of an underwhelming Raiders wide receiver room that also includes Tre Tucker, Jalen Nailor, Dont'e Thornton and Malik Benson. Canelo's colleague Jared Feinberg describes Bech as a savvy route runner, and Bech's ability to get open with crisp routes should be rewarded more than it was in his rookie year if the Raiders get better quarterback play out of newcomers Fernando Mendoza and Kirk Cousins.