Wright is thought to be the first player to have a college return agreement after signing with an NFL team as an undrafted free agent.
He signed with the Philadelphia Eagles after the draft and was later claimed on waivers by the Browns on August 11.
He didn’t play in either of Cleveland’s first two preseason games.
Wright hasn’t practiced in over a week, but he dressed for the Browns’ second preseason game against the Buffalo Bills on Saturday.Browns coach Todd Monken said Wright has been out because of an injury.
On Wednesday, Wright officially entered the transfer portal after he and a group of athletes who filed a lawsuit in Louisiana were granted a temporary restraining order to return to college for one more season.
"Man, isn't this s--- crazy?" Monken said when asked about Wright's situation Saturday. "I don't even know what to say.
"I wondered why Lane Kiffin reached out to me a week ago; now I know. I didn't call him back. I guess I should have."
Wright played for Kiffin, the first-year LSU coach, at Ole Miss in 2024 and 2025. Last season, he had 39 receptions for 635 yards and five touchdowns for the Rebels.
Wright, who graduated from high school in 2022 and whose college eligibility ended last season, had filed a lawsuit because he was not included in the NCAA's new rule -- less than 2 months old -- that grants most Division I athletes five years of eligibility over five years but doesn't take effect until next season.
The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals granted the NCAA a stay Friday morning in an order reversing the federal judge's decision that had opened the door for all athletes who started college in the 2022-23 academic year and played for four consecutive seasons to return for a fifth season. But that stay does not wipe out the cases of dozens of athletes who have successfully petitioned for restraining orders to play a fifth season in state courts around the country.
The Browns activated starting defensive tackle Maliek Collins from the physically unable to perform list Monday in a corresponding move when Wright was waived.
ESPN's Daniel Oyefusi, Dan Murphy and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Perfect picks for every round in a 12-team league
Fantasy football drafts are all about collecting the best possible values, but we all know those special players exist whom we badly want on our squad.
Whether it's the young, up-and-coming wide receiver on our favorite team, a sleeper running back no one is talking about or this year's big breakout at tight end, these players add an extra level of excitement to the roster construction process.
This round-by-round analysis will give you an idea of what's going through my head on draft day, headlined by those players I have circled on my cheat sheet. Note that I used average draft position (ADP) data from Draft Sharks' terrific Market Index Tool in order to ensure this road map would be useful for as many of you as possible.
For a more philosophical look at the fantasy landscape, including strategies for drafting, trading and working waivers in all types of formats, be sure to check out the fantasy football playbook column.
Here it is: my personal recipe for a 2026 fantasy football championship in a 12-team league.
The core
When I'm making my selections, I often ask myself: "Am I drafting this player at his ceiling?" If the answer is "yes," I generally aim for someone with more upside. Of course, all the players available in the first round or so are likely at or near their ceiling, so this is an opportunity to not overthink it and simply take the best available player on the board.
Round 1: Best available RB or WR
Who I choose in the first round will, of course, primarily depend on where I pick. For the purposes of this exercise, it's (once again) a tricky year to handicap who will be available since six RBs and six WRs are currently coming off the board in the round.
If I land a top-two pick, this is an easy call: Jahmyr Gibbs or Bijan Robinson. I'm also happy to take Christian McCaffrey or Jonathan Taylor in the middle of the round or to go wide receiver with the best available among Ja'Marr Chase, Puka Nacua, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Amon-Ra St. Brown, CeeDee Lamb and Justin Jefferson.
Don't overthink the first round. It's loaded with talent. Just take the best guy on your board and proceed.
Round 2: De'Von Achane
Just like Round 1, our pool of available players is very dependent on where we are in the draft order. If I'm near the Round 1-2 turn, I'll likely be eyeing a running back, with Achane as the highlight and the likes of Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry and Kenneth Walker III among the appealing options.
Achane is a polarizing player. On the one hand, he's 24 years old, having finished both of the past two seasons in the top five among running backs in fantasy points. He has scored either 11 or 12 TDs in each of his three NFL campaigns, and he leads all qualified backs with 5.62 YPC since entering the league.
On the other hand, he lost RB-friendly playcaller Mike McDaniel and the rebuilding Miami offense could struggle to move the ball in 2026. The bottom line for me is that, as coach Jeff Hafley noted in early August, Achane is going to handle a massive workload. That's enough for me to pounce on Achane, who reminds me a lot of prime Alvin Kamara, at the Round 1-2 turn.
The mid-to-late portion of Round 2 leans more toward wide receiver, with Drake London, Nico Collins, A.J. Brown and George Pickens there for the taking. I have no major qualms with investing in one of the "Big 2" tight ends -- Trey McBride or Brock Bowers -- but I think you can get more value later.
Round 3: Jeremiyah Love
Love can be best described as "My Guy" in 2026. I have him ranked well above the consensus and often grab him late in the second round when possible. However, he generally comes off the board near the Round 2-3 turn, more likely now settling into the third round as he recovers from an ankle injury suffered in his preseason debut. At worst, he's expected to miss one game, but it's very possible -- perhaps even likely? -- that he'll be good to go for Week 1.
Even if Love's career starts off slowly, he's a good bet to beat his ADP. The No. 3 overall pick in April's draft, Love is looking to become the 10th consecutive back selected in the top 12 to finish in the top 12 in fantasy points as a rookie. He looked excellent in his debut and is capable as a rusher, receiver and blocker. I expect RB1 production when he's on the field.
If not Love, Malik Nabers and Rashee Rice are my targets here. We've been getting a discount on both for different reasons, but Nabers is on the rise now that it appears he'll be able to play in Week 1 (following a successful recovery from last season's torn ACL). Rice still could face league discipline, but that's already baked into his cost. He remained his usual, productive self when active last season, handling 9.8 targets per game and posting top-12 fantasy outings in five of his eight games.
My RB6 through RB15 form one giant tier, so whichever backs remain from that group are also on my radar here. That includes Breece Hall and, while we need to monitor for a potential suspension, Josh Jacobs.
Round 4: Garrett Wilson
My favorite round this season? The fourth. My favorite pick in said round? Wilson.
We're getting a discount on the fifth-year receiver after an injury-plagued 2025 campaign in which he missed 10 games. Of course, he was productive when healthy, averaging 14.2 fantasy PPG thanks to a massive 33% target share. Wilson is primed for a career year with Geno Smith under center. Though not a major upgrade, Smith did lead the trio of DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and Smith-Njigba to top-16 fantasy campaigns during the 2022-24 seasons.
If not Wilson, I'm likely going with one of Cam Skattebo or Quinshon Judkins, as (a) they're two of my favorite running back targets this year and (b) running back dries up in a hurry after this round. Year 2 wide receivers Tetairoa McMillan and Emeka Egbuka are also very appealing here and I'm also not afraid to take a shot on second-year tight end Colston Loveland.
Round 5: Tyler Warren
Warren is my favorite tight end value pick. The second-year player had a terrific rookie season -- and it very well could have been better. In 12 games with a healthy Daniel Jones, he scored five touchdowns and averaged 13.1 fantasy PPG. In five games with Jones out, he failed to find the end zone and averaged just 6.3 PPG. Warren finished his debut season ranked in the top five among tight ends in both targets and end zone targets. He also handled three goal-line carries.
If I don't go tight end, I like the value at wide receiver. Terry McLaurin, Jameson Williams and Davante Adams are all on my radar.
Round 6: Rome Odunze
Although teammate Luther Burden III is getting all the hype, Odunze is well positioned for a Year 3 leap. He very well could lead a good Chicago offense in both targets and fantasy points. We saw his ceiling early on last season in the form of five touchdowns and 15-plus fantasy points over his first four games. It's possible he gets back to that WR1 level now that he's near full health.
I'm also looking at Carnell Tate in this range, though I'll feel better if Cam Ward shows progress this preseason. Parker Washington has been one of my favorite targets throughout the offseason, but his ADP has ballooned to the sixth round. That's made him quite expensive. I haven't yet selected a quarterback in this exercise, but this isn't a bad place to strike with Jayden Daniels on the board.
The middle rounds
OK, so the core of my team is in place. Now it's time to start filling gaps and adding depth. I obviously want players with upside, but I also want guys I feel comfortable placing in my Week 1 lineup. We'll save the high-risk fliers for later.
Round 7: Courtland Sutton
It's been years since Sutton wasn't a favorite target of mine, and he continues to pay dividends. The veteran receiver has delivered 1,000-plus yards and a top-20 fantasy campaign in both of the last two seasons. He'll have more target competition with Jaylen Waddle in the mix, but he'll remain one of Bo Nix's go-to receivers, especially near the goal line. Sutton ranks third in the league in end zone targets over the last four seasons.
If not a wide receiver, Rico Dowdle makes for a solid RB3/flex. If I haven't addressed tight end yet, I'd be all over Sam LaPorta or Kyle Pitts Sr.
Defense/special teams
History has taught us over and over that we should never reach on our D/ST. In fact, The No.1-scoring fantasy D/ST has finished ninth or worse the following season in seven of the past nine seasons. Additionally, four defenses that finished 27th or worse in 2024 rebounded with a top-10 finish in 2025.
The Texans, Broncos, Steelers, Seahawks and Rams sit atop my D/ST rankings. However, since I like to stream, I'll also be looking at the Jaguars, Jets and Chargers -- each has a relatively light Week 1 opponent.
Kicker
This is as simple as picking the top guy left on the board. Brandon Aubrey, Cameron Dicker and Jason Myers are at the top of my rankings, but don't reach on any of them. The legend that is Daniel Carlson finished as fantasy's top kicker in 2021 and 2022. Did that convince you to reach on him a bit in your 2023 draft? If so, you ended up with fantasy's No. 24 kicker. In fact, the top scorer at the position has finished eighth or worse the following season in six of the last eight seasons. Myers, an 11-year veteran, had never finished better than fourth in fantasy points prior to leading the position in 2025.
So, there you have it. My game plan for a 2026 fantasy football championship. Remember, this article should not serve as your only draft board. It's simply the players I've found myself targeting and, with ADP in mind, those I would love to have on my squad this year.
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