🍃 The autumn winds are getting closer with rookies arriving to camp. Before things ramp up, check out our annual NFL expansion series, which dives into what an NFL expansion team might realistically look like in 2026:
Part I: City, Branding, Staff
Part II: The Expansion Draft
Part III: Free Agency (Publishing Wednesday)
Part IV: 2026 NFL Draft (Publishing Thursday)
🏈 Moves made as NFL dead period winds down
By next Tuesday, all players around the league will have reported. But first, some teams are making moves, including the Packers locking up DL Devonte Wyatt on a three-year, $57 million extension.
Last week, the Saints and RB Alvin Kamara agreed to a restructured contract that keeps him in New Orleans for 2026 for a 10th season. It seemed like the two sides might separate after Travis Etienne Jr. was signed in free agency, but Kamara is back after previously indicating he didn’t want to play elsewhere.
The Ravens signed C Ethan Pocic to a one-year deal, and he is set to compete for the starting job. Pocic is recovering from a torn Achilles, but he’s now reportedly healthy and is the favorite to start over Danny Pinter and Jovaughn Gwyn.
Former Bills CB Levi Wallace announced his retirement after eight seasons in the NFL. The 31-year-old was out of the league last season, but he was a very solid starter for four seasons in Buffalo while playing across from Tre’Davious White—and Wallace overcame the odds by starting out as an intramural flag football player at Alabama and going undrafted in 2018.
QB Will Grier—a third-round pick of the Panthers in 2019—also announced his retirement ahead of camp after signing back with Carolina earlier this offseason.
🗒️ Additional pre-camp NFL notes
The Titans announced that franchise great RB Chris Johnson will be inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor, which comes after the recent sad news that he was diagnosed with ALS. Johnson will be inducted during the team’s season opener versus the Jets on September 13.
The NFL Top 100 Players of 2026 continued last week with No. 70 through No. 61—with many upset about Lamar Jackson being ranked No. 69 as three Ravens were revealed.
Cardinals executive Ryan Gold was suspended indefinitely for violating the NFL’s gambling policy. The team’s Director of College Scouting reportedly placed bets on 2026 NFL Draft selections made by the team.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has suggested that a game in Japan is on their radar.
One of the best picks in 2026 fantasy football drafts should be Eagles WR DeVonta Smith, who headlines this week’s preview of our upcoming 2026 fantasy football draft guide.
7. DeVonta Smith, PHI
2025 statistics: 77 REC, 1,008 YDS, 4 TD
2026 projections: 94 REC, 1,301 YDS, 10 TD
Smith will now get an opportunity to be the clear No. 1 receiver for the Eagles with A.J. Brown gone, and fantasy owners should expect career numbers for the former Heisman Trophy winner. Through five seasons, Smith had his season-long production capped in a run-heavy offense while sharing the field with Brown for four of those seasons—but he’s still been very efficient overall (9.1 yards per target in his career) and has put up huge numbers when given double-digit targets (17-game pace of 122 receptions, 1,718 receiving yards, and nine touchdowns in 15 such appearances). Philadelphia will try to get Saquon Barkley back to 2024 dominance and could spread the ball around a bit more than usual with Sean Mannion coming over from Green Bay, but comparison to make in terms of upside is Jaxon Smith-Njigba—who obviously won NFL Offensive Player of the Year after the Seahawks traded DK Metcalf to clear the way for JSN to be featured; Smith has that kind of ability with elite route running, rare body control, an ability to play above the rim, and impressive toughness, so we are very high on him for fantasy purposes.
The 2026 Fantasy Consigliere Fantasy Football Draft Guide will be available on August 3, and it is free as a PDF for all Fantasy Consigliere members.
Other Sports Updates
⚽️ Spain defeated Argentina, 1-0, in extra time to win the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final.
⚾️ The AL defeated the NL, 4-0, in the 2026 MLB All-Star Game, which included a very cool nod to The Sandlot.
⛳️ Ryan Fox (-10) won The Open with a birdie putt on the 18th hole.
🚫 Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani is indefinitely unavailable as a pitcher due to his knee injury.
🏒 Blackhawks agree to a five-year, $75 million deal with star C Connor Bedard.
🚨 Michigan AD Warde Manuel will step down at the end of the year.
