New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry quietly put together a top-10 season at his position in 2025. The Patriots made some offensive upgrades this offseason, but Henry is expected to remain a focal point. Over the offseason, the Pats added wide receivers A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs. The assumption is that Henry will take a backseat to them, but that might not be the case. Henry has finished with 60 or more receptions during his first two seasons with Drake Maye under center. The two of them clearly have good chemistry, which is something you don't mess with. According to Mark Daniels of MassLive.com, Henry is expected to be a key part of the Patriots' offense next season. It's unclear if he'll post another top-10 season, but he should be a viable option
Kayshon Boutte responds to Mike Vrabel's comment that he would have been inactive if he had stayed with the Patriots, expressing no hard feelings and focusing on his role with the Texans
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye came one vote away from winning the MVP Award in his first full season as a starter, and head coach Mike Vrabel has seen notable improvements since he took over the team in 2025. In speaking with reporters on Thursday about Maye's growth, Vrabel pointed out, "More comfort in what we're doing. More command. More understanding." Maye threw for 4,394 yards and 31 touchdowns to only eight interceptions, adding 450 yards and four scores on the ground on his way to a QB2 finish, and the Patriots spent the offseason improving his offensive line and pass-catchers, most notably adding receivers A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs, both of whom have reportedly established a quick rapport with the 24-year-old signal-caller. Questions about how much a historically easy schedule played into Maye's success have lingered throughout the offseason, particularly after a significant postseason dropoff, but an improved offensive environment could serve to raise a fantasy ceiling that was already among the highest in the league, making him a potential value at RotoBaller's QB6
The Texans are bringing in a young receiver who will help replace the injured Jayden Higgins. Per Tom Pelissero of TheRinger.com, Houston is acquiring Kayson Boutte from New England in exchange for safety Jaylen Reed and a draft pick. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports the draft pick is a 2028 seventh-round selection from the Saints. Boutte is entering the final year of his rookie contract and was considered the likely odd man out of the Patriots’ revamped receivers room with A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs. He said in July that he was taking things day-by-day and not thinking about what’s next. Now, he’ll be in Houston with a team that has aspirations of a deep postseason run. A sixth-round pick in 2023, Boutte caught 33 passes for 551 yards with six touchdowns in 14 regular-season games last year. He also had nine catches for 168 yards with a touchdown in New England’s four postseason contests. Reed was a Houston sixth-round pick in 2025 and appeared in seven games with one start as a rookie. He spent most of his playing time on special teams, recording 14 total tackles and a fumble recovery last season
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Matthew Golden didn't have much to show for his rookie year until the very end. He caught 29 passes for 361 yards during the regular season, then went for 84 yards and his first NFL touchdown against Chicago in the playoffs. Green Bay has cleared out some of the traffic since then. Romeo Doubs left in free agency and Dontayvion Wicks was traded, leaving Golden in the top three with Christian Watson and Jayden Reed. The summer has helped his case, too. Golden caught a 57-yard touchdown from Jordan Love on Family Night, missed a couple of practices with a toe issue, then came right back without much trouble. On Friday against Denver, he was out there with the starters and caught a 19-yard pass from Love on fourth-and-inches during the opening touchdown drive. There are still plenty of mouths to feed once Tucker Kraft is included, so Golden isn't guaranteed a huge target jump. The opportunity is a lot cleaner than it was last year, though. RotoBaller has him 113th overall in PPR, and he's looking more interesting as a bench receiver with upside
Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love handled the first drive of the Packers' 33-13 victory over the Denver Broncos in the second preseason game for both clubs
The New England Patriots sent a first and fifth-round pick to acquire three-time Pro Bowler A.J. Brown from the Philadelphia Eagles in early May, and as he continues to acclimate to his new surroundings, he has gotten better and better throughout the summer, impressing team reporter Paul Perillo with the suddenness of his routes. During Saturday's practice, he separated quickly during goal-line work for what looked to be an easy score, and Perillo noted that he has "been nearly unstoppable running slants from various positions on the field." With free agent acquisition Romeo Doubs also coming on of late, expectations continue to rise for the Patriots' passing offense, but as the regular season edges closer, there's been little doubt about who Drake Maye's go-to receiver will be in 2026, and Brown is RotoBaller's WR9
The NFL preseason kicked off with the Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 6 as the Carolina Panthers knocked off the Arizona Cardinals in walk-off fashion, 33-30. The first full week of NFL action is here with 16 games slated for Week 1 of the 2026 preseason. While these games don't count against season records, they're a crucial time for both teams and fans to see what their team will look like when it does count. There are active quarterback competitions, rookies getting their first reps and veterans looking to prove they've still got it. With so many changes this offseason, from coaching hires, to trades, this is the time for squads to works toward their identity, shake off the dust and work on the new relationships. Here is a reason to watch each game: The Bengals haven't made the playoffs since 2022 and the pressure is on this season for the entire team, especially the offensive stars. This season, a stronger defense could mean the offense doesn't have to do as much to stay in games, but there is still a high ceiling for quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins , all who are expected to take the field on Thursday. Keeping those three healthy and improving the defense are some key components to success this season for Cincinnati. This is the first time the Steelers will take the field for a game without Mike Tomlin as their head coach since he took the job in 2007. Mike McCarthy will now be leading the team and is reuniting with Aaron Rodgers , who was his quarterback while the two were on the Packers . While Rodgers has said he won't play during the preseason, he and McCarthy will be facing their old team, which will be interesting to see. The Patriots wide receiver room is one to watch during the preseason. The team added A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs and also have Kayshon Boutte , Pop Douglas, Kyle Williams and Efton Chism III . Boutte reportedly requested a trade in the spring and his status on the team remains a question. How things shape up this preseason could heavily impact Boutte's future with the team. With starters not expected to play, receivers further down on the depth chart have a chance to help secure their spot on the roster as head coach Mike Vrabel works on finalizing the receivers room. The Chargers cornerback situation still needs ironing out. Cam Hart , Tarheeb Still , Donte Jackson and Deane Leonard are expected to make the roster and there are plenty of others fighting for limited spots left. Avery Smith and Rodney Shelley have looked good during training camp and could take a spot away from Nikko Reed and Eric Rogers , who made the team last season. Preseason will be the time for these players to make the extra push to make the 53-man roster. Carson Beck looked good during the Hall of Fame Game and became the talk of the town as far as potential goes, but will be sitting out due to rib discomfort. Jacoby Brissett , who reworked his contract this offseason, was set to play and will take the field for the first time this preseason. Arizona was tied for the worst record in the NFL last year at 3-14 and a lot of the pressure will be on Brissett. The Raiders will unveil their No. 1 overall pick, Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza, with veteran Kirk Cousins expected to begin the season as a starter. Robert Saleh is making his debut as the Titans head coach after spending last season as the defensive coordinator with the 49ers . A new-look defense for Tennessee is expected under Saleh and this will be our first preview of what that could look like. The Commanders offensive line has become a major concern after Laremy Tunsil injured his biceps in practice and will miss a significant part of the season. The team says they don't plan on finding a left tackle outside of the team, so the remaining members of the offensive line room will need to fill the role. Brandon Coleman could step up in the absence, so he will be one to watch as the season approaches. First
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Jordan Love reports improved timing and chemistry with Green Bay's starting wide receivers Jayden Reed, Christian Watson, and Matthew Golden during training camp. This focus on key targets contrasts with last season's broader distribution, and Love believes it's building trust and understanding. Despite the offseason departures of Dontayvion Wicks and Romeo Doubs, Love anticipates a strong connection with his top three receivers
Data comes from cached Sleeper and KTC snapshots. Values update when the sync jobs run.
