A.J. Brown to Patriots, Drake London extension among headlines from OTAs this week that we're tracking for fantasy football
We're into the month of June and approaching a dead zone in the NFL offseason. OTAs continue as teams prep for mandatory minicamps. After that, we've got a bit of a lull before training camps begin in July. The big news we were waiting for — A.J. Brown being traded to the Patriots — finally happened on Monday, giving the fantasy football community a bit to talk about.
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Below, we'll go over the Brown trade while also highlighting other news stories from OTAs this week that have a fantasy football impact.
A.J. Brown settling in with new team
The Eagles finally shipped Brown to the Pats in exchange for a 2028 first-round pick and 2027 fifth-rounder. The writing was on the wall, seemingly since the middle of the 2025 regular season. Brown practiced for the first time with his new team on Tuesday and was catching passes from his new QB, Drake Maye.
Brown, who will turn 29 later this month, is coming off another 1,000-yard season with Philly, though it was a down year for him. That's been the case over the past two seasons due to injuries and him being unhappy with his situation. Brown gets a fresh start and fresh fantasy outlook. Yahoo analyst Justin Boone has AJB as his WR11 in his fantasy football wide receiver rankings for redraft formats going into 2026.
Falcons sign Drake London to big extension
Atlanta and star WR Drake London agreed to terms on a four-year, $141 million contract extension on Tuesday, making him the third-highest paid WR in the NFL behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Ja'Marr Chase.
London is relatively deserving of the contract. Despite shaky QB play throughout his four NFL seasons, the 24-year-old has posted at least 68 catches and over 800 receiving yards in each season. In 2024, he had set career highs in catches (100), yards (1,271) and touchdowns (9). Despite missing five games last season, London had 68 catches for 919 yards and seven scores.
The QB situation for the Falcons is still less than ideal with either Tua Tagovailoa or Michael Penix Jr. starting in 2026. But the good news is London still doesn't have much competition for targets at the WR position. Jahan Dotson, Kyle Pitts Sr., Olamide Zaccheaus and rookie Zachariah Branch make up the rest of the receiver room.
Another star receiver gets big extension in Green Bay
It's extension SZN, apparently. After London signed his mega-deal earlier in the week, the Packers inked WR Christian Watson to a four-year, $110.5 million extension on Thursday, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Watson missed seven games last season but came in hot once he was healthy. In those 10 games he played, Watson had 35 catches for 611 yards and six touchdowns. Still, it's a risky move by Green Bay given Watson has missed time due to injury in each of his four NFL seasons. But the offense needs Watson as a vertical threat and didn't want to risk him testing free agency if he has a big season in 2026.
Yahoo analyst Justin Boone has Watson as a WR2 for 2026, ranking 22nd at the position in his June fantasy football rankings.
Giants bring in three wideouts — one a very familiar face
Is it time for Malik Nabers' dynasty managers to panic? Well, it isn't all sunshine and rainbows. The G-Men signed WRs JuJu Smith-Schuster, Braxton Berrios and Odell Beckham Jr. to contracts this week.
Things are pretty crowded now in New York. On top of those three, you have Nabers, who is working his way back from a torn ACL. Darius Slayton, Darnell Mooney, rookie Malachi Fields, Calvin Austin III, Jalin Hyatt, Isaiah Hodgins, Xavier Gipson, Tanner Conner, Ryan Miller and Dalen Cambre are all technically under contract, per Spotrac.
Of course, that list will be whittled down throughout training camp and preseason, but it definitely signals that the Giants may be without Nabers and possibly Slayton to begin the season. Fantasy managers should be monitoring this situation carefully in July and August. If Nabers and Slayton miss time, it would be an early boost for Mooney, Fields, Austin and newly-signed TE Isaiah Likely.
Beckham called the reunion with the Giants "surreal" and that he has plenty to prove.
Rome Odunze talks foot injury that held him back in 2025
Through the first four games of 2025, Bears WR Rome Odunze looked primed for a breakout season as a sophomore. Instead, a foot injury derailed everything, forcing Odunze to miss five games while stunting his production. He'd finish the season with just 44 catches for 661 yards and six touchdowns despite the Bears boasting a top-10 offense.
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Odunze spoke about the injury and how it's altered his foot to a "new normal" that he doesn't think will hold him back in 2026. There's plenty of hype surrounding Luther Burden III after he was productive late last season and into the playoffs. Yahoo analyst Justin Boone has Burden as his WR17 in his fantasy football rankings for 2026 in June. Odunze comes in as the WR30.
If Odunze can enter 2026 healthy and bounce back, he's an interesting post-hype sleeper.
Rams land Myles Garrett in blockbuster trade with Browns
The headlines from this week really blew last week out of the water. Cleveland dealt star pass-rusher Myles Garrett to Los Angeles for DE Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick and 2029 third-round pick.
We won't go into too much detail but Garrett, 30, is coming off 23 sacks in 2025, setting the NFL record for most in a season. He won his second Defensive Player of the Year award and had just signed a four-year, $160 million extension that runs through 2030.
This doesn't have a huge impact on fantasy but it does mean L.A.'s D/ST should get a nice boost. It also means NFC West QBs Sam Darnold, Brock Purdy and Jacoby Brissett have to deal with Garrett twice in 2026.
Quick Hitters
49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk reportedly has warrant issued for his arrest in California.
Following the Brown trade, newly-minted No. 1 WR DeVonta Smith downplayed the idea he'll step into that role this season.
Saints HC Kellen Moore surprised RB Alvin Kamara decided to grace the team with his presence at OTAs.
