NFL Player News

Campbell acknowledged that this is a conservative projection, giving Rodriguez at least some chance to return sooner. The Lions’ defense was hit hard by injuries last season, so the front office added a bevy of defenders via both the draft and free agency. Hopefully, Rodriguez returns in full force in time for a playoff push.

Carli Franchesca Guzmán Roche was reported missing on September 11, 2021. Her body was found in January 2026, on a property formerly owned by Pennel at the time she went missing, when the new owner was doing excavation work. In April, Pennel told ESPN, via a statement through his lawyer, “that he did not know, nor had any connection to, the person reported as having been found dead.” However, today’s ESPN report states that Pennel and Guzmán “had an ongoing relationship” and the two “frequently spent time together when Pennel was in the Dominican Republic.” Dominican officials have reopened the case and are “pursuing the case as a homicide, although no cause of death has been released.”

Baby’s practice notes indicate that incumbent No. 3 WR Andrei Iosivas and No. 1 TE Mike Gesicki are the other two competitors for the role, and both players “had productive springs.” Pitcher also said RB Chase Brown “can sometimes be viewed as a slot receiver,” but those types of comments are common in the summer and rarely pan out in the fall. Iosivas and Gesicki have been helpful contributors, but the fact that the team is searching for an answer at the No. 3 receiving role is indicative of their ceilings. Pitcher believes Young is “going to fight and battle” this summer, and thinks there are things Young “can do quickly and help us.” If he can actually become the team’s third-most voluminous target earner, he could pay off as a late-round best ball pick.

It will be very hard for Thompson to return fantasy value, but he sure is fun. When the Chargers drafted Thompson, OC Mike McDaniel hopped on the phone to tell Thompson that he is “going to do elite stuff” in the NFL. Thompson (5'9/164) clocked a 4.26-second 40 at the NFL Scouting Combine, and GM Joe Hortiz compared Thompson’s size, height and speed combination to WRs Tyreek Hill and DeSean Jackson. Chargers WRs Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston appear to hold the Nos. 1 and 2 spots on the depth chart, and the team likes WR Tre’ Harris’ blocking abilities. Keep an eye on Thompson in training camp, but note that it is very hard for rotational players — assuming he earns a rotational role — to contribute in fantasy.

Huge, if true. For his part, Hampton seemed unfamiliar with Davis’ game but vowed to “check out his highlights.” This might seem like a silly summer storyline — and, to be clear, it is — but it does at least serve to highlight that Hampton remains comfortably ahead of free agent addition Keaton Mitchell, who has taken up lots of digital ink this offseason. McDaniel’s comparison means very little, but you don’t throw out the name Terrell Davis for a back you aren’t planning to be one of the cornerstones of the offense. Currently being drafted in the low-end RB1 range, Hampton’s ADP is sky high considering his limited rookie accomplishments, but he could end up being in the right place at the right time with McDaniel’s proven fantasy system coming to Los Angeles.

This is qualified praise from Evans, but worth noting for deep-league and dynasty purposes. Key (6'3/200) has shown off “good speed in space” while nabbing chunk gains downfield. It will be very hard for Key to return fantasy value if he remains on the Broncos’ roster, but perhaps he could work his way into another team’s rotation if he is waived on cut-down day.

Per Evans, Coleman has been “heavily involved in the Broncos’ passing game,” flashing the necessary “open-field burst to be a threat on screen passes and choice routes out of the backfield.” Coleman (5'8/220) also possesses “enough stockiness to chip rushers on obvious passing downs.” Veteran RB J.K. Dobbins is set to handle primary rushing duties. Second-year RB RJ Harvey is practicing in a limited capacity following offseason shoulder surgery. Harvey is the incumbent receiving back and will ostensibly be given the chance to fend off Coleman in training camp. Three-player backfields typically create fantasy-unfriendly situations. If Coleman forces a timeshare on passing downs, it will be tough for him and Harvey to produce reliably. If one player can separate from the other, he could offer PPR FLEX value. This is worth following closely in training camp.

The Falcons designated Hayball as their exempt international player, so he does not count against the team’s 90-man roster limit. He played in all 17 games with the Saints as a rookie in 2024, averaging 44.0 yards per punt on 75 attempts. He did not play in 2025. Hayball will compete with veteran P Jake Bailey this year.

Bringing Snowden aboard gives the Cowboys a capable backup pass rusher. He tallied 10 quarterback pressures and two sacks on 52 pass-rushing snaps last year. He also chipped in 18 solo tackles and five TFLs, while earning a career-best 70.5 PFF defense grade.

Wheeler, 24, entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Bears in 2024. He briefly spent time on the Saints’ practice squad last year before making his way to the UFL, where he played for the Louisville Kings in 2026. He was productive as a rusher, posting a 68/370/6 stat line. Wheeler will now compete for the RB4 spot behind James Cook, Ty Johnson and Ray Davis.

Schottenheimer began this section of the press conference by saying that he was very pleased with Pickens’ playbook preparedness when he showed up for mandatory minicamp this week. He did not attend organized team activities, so this is great to hear. Regarding Pickens’ pre-snap alignment, he will not just play X-receiver this season — Schottenheimer notes that Pickens does not like doing that anyway. Schottenheimer plans to line Pickens up in the slot, and isolated on the front side, on the same side as the tight end. Pickens logged just 77 slot snaps last season and 891 out wide. Giving him more opportunities to run routes against safeties and linebackers from the slot will increase his fantasy-scoring floor and ceiling. Schottenheimer also plans to expand Pickens’ route tree and build elements of the offense around his strengths, noting Pickens’ slant route successes last season in particular. He’s a WR1.