McFadden: Bowers could have record-breaking season

It’s not really a stretch when you consider Jahan Dotson and Olamide Zaccheaus are the two other receivers behind Drake London that are competing for real time on the Falcons. Branch isn’t exactly a lock to be fantasy-relevant as a rookie, but if he shows more than expected, the door is wide open for him in Atlanta.

“Realistically, he can surpass his receptions total from his rookie year and perhaps close in on the league record of most receptions in a single season by a tight end, set by the Arizona Cardinals’ Trey McBride (126) last season. Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce’s record 1,416 receiving yards in 2020 is a daunting mark to top but not impossible for Bowers,” McFadden continues. The Raiders receiving corps is completely unsettled at this point — Jalen Nailor and Tre Tucker are here — and someone has to catch the ball in Vegas. Everyone got burned by Bowers last year so you probably won’t have to pay 2025’s prices, but you could very well net 2024’s results under new playcaller Klint Kubiak. Bowers is currently going off the board as the overall TE1, but he’s close to an ADP of 20 on most sites.

Giddens was supposed to provide some relief to Jonathan Taylor last year, but “that plan was mostly shelved” as the Colts apparently didn’t love what they saw. Giddens and sixth-rounder Seth McGowan figure to battle for the main backup job behind Taylor, but neither is a priority backup to target late in drafts as they’d likely form a committee.

“If I can find another guy or two that can take some of those carries off, he’s just going to be that much better,” Smith continued. We’re not that concerned about this from a fantasy perspective because the Colts haven’t exactly invested in finding that player. “Obviously, he’s a hell of a player,” Colts coach Shane Steichen said. “It’s hard to take him off the field when he’s running so good.” Taylor should remain in the RB1 conversation this year, though it’s going to be harder to believe in him posting his early-season numbers if Daniel Jones’ Achilles injury limits him.

Oladejo had a lost 2025 rookie season, failing to generate a sack, and the hamstring injury likely sets him up as a reserve in 2026 under a new coaching staff. The 52nd overall pick in the 2025 draft will try to change the narrative in training camp.

Moving on from Jones would save the Chiefs $28.35 million in 2027 cap space, and while he’s still clearly an upper-echelon defensive tackle, the Chiefs did just draft Peter Woods in the first round. Jones managed just seven sacks last year and was left off the All-Pro teams for the first time since 2019. He’s entering his age-32 season in 2026.

Young, who had a team-high 13 sacks in 2025, figures to be one of the jewels of free agency if he makes it there. The 2023 third-rounder enters the final year of his rookie contract this season.

Buried on the depth chart after a key special teams error last year, Johnson now has Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle ahead of him for carries. We’d still bet Johnson makes the roster — he was a third-round pick just last year — but the early run out has been wildly disappointing.

The impending sale was first reported by Sportico then confirmed by ESPN before the team itself announced the move. Sportico and Schefter have reported an eye-watering sale price of $9.6 billion, shattering the Commanders’ previous NFL record and making the transaction one of the most expensive in the history of global sports. As NFL franchise values spiral ever upward, this probably won’t remain the record for long. Sitting pretty as Super Bowl champions with a 21st century largely spent winning, the Seahawks are a crown jewel asset, but things can always go haywire when those change hands. Khosla has a lot to live up to in the late Allen, who passed away in 2018. That, of course, is once the deal is formally approved by the NFL. That will reportedly take place in late August. A “tech billionaire” in the words of Sportico, Khosla is one of the co-founders of Sun Microsystems

Rumors have continued to circulate about a potential return for the 10-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle. We had yet to see any substance beyond the rumors; that is, until now. There appears to still be hurdles to clear in a potential return after Donald’s retirement following the 2023 season, but this is the first time we’ve seen more than relayed quotes from league talking heads. A one-year deal could make sense as the Rams continue their push for a Super-Bowl-or-bust 2026 season, although the avenue for a multi-year deal remains open considering veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford recently signed a one-year extension that keeps him in Los Angeles through 2027.