By Chet Gresham – @ChetGresham
Updated Aug. 23, 2017.
Follow @walterfootball for updates.
There truly is no offseason in the NFL, and that applies to fantasy as well. Below, I gather some of the more interesting tidbits from the news and look at them with a fantasy perspective.
July 25 Updates
Latavius Murray, RB, Vikings. Latavius Murray will start training camp out on the active/PUP list, which means he can practice as soon as he’s able. Yesterday, Murray said his “health is really good,” so it’s likely he’ll start practicing fairly soon. Rookie Dalvin Cook is in the lead for the starting job, so Murray needs to get healthy fast if he wants to throw his hat in the ring.
Mike Williams, WR, Chargers. The news continues to get better for Chargers rookie Mike Williams after it was reported he might need back surgery. Josina Anderson reports that Williams is feeling better, but we still have no timetable for his return to practice. Williams will likely continue to fall behind in the race for playing time the longer he is out. I’ll need to see him healthy and in play for a starting job before considering him in re-draft.
Jordan Matthews, WR, Eagles. Jordan Matthews will be limited to start training camp due to knee tendinitis. There doesn’t seem to be any worry from the coaching staff, and it looks like they will limit Matthews to lessen the wear and tear going into this season. There are a lot of mouths to feed in Philadelphia, so targets are going to be hard to come by, but Matthews has also seen a big drop in his ADP with Alshon Jeffery and others in the mix.
Kenny Golladay, WR, Lions. Rookie Kenny Golladay leads the competition for the starting slot job in Detroit. That’s good news for him and his development, but he’ll likely need his role expanded to have an impact in fantasy this season. His ability may push him onto the field more as the season goes on, but I’ll be waiting to grab him off waivers if that starts happening.
Tyler Eifert, TE, Bengals. According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, Tyler Eifert should be ready for training camp. He’ll likely be eased back, but all signs point to him being a full-go much earlier than he was last season, when he missed the first six games. The Bengals’ passing game should be ready to go Week 1, which is a great sign for Andy Dalton, and despite Eifert’s injury woes, his upside is still quite high, especially with his ADP taking a slight hit due to injury concerns.
Keenan Allen, WR, Chargers. Everyone seems to be in agreement that Keenan Allen looks to be back to his pre-injury self, with Philip Rivers and multiple beat writers liking what they’ve seen from him. Thankfully, Allen’s injury happened in Week 1 last season, so he’s had plenty of time to get back into shape after surgery. And now that Mike Williams is hurting, Allen should at least start the season as a target hog.
Duke Johnson, RB, Browns. The Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Mary Kay Cabot believes running back Duke Johnson is the leading candidate to play the slot wide receiver role this year. If that does happen, we will still need more information on how he would be used when the formation doesn’t require a slot receiver. Would he line up in the backfield? Would he be on the sideline? If Johnson could see work as a receiver out of the backfield and in the slot, his PPR upside would still be good. If his role doesn’t expand, being the slot receiver could actually hurt him in this offense.
John Brown, WR, Cardinals. Cardinals receiver John Brown has added 12 pounds this offseason and now weighs in at 185 pounds. He says he hasn’t lost any speed, and so far, onlookers, including teammates, believe he is back to the speed he was before injuries and complications from sickle cell slowed him down last year. As long as those complications are in the rearview mirror, Brown has a high ceiling and a good ADP.
Rob Kelley and Samaje Perine, RBs, Redskins.
ESPN reporter John Keim has Rob Kelley as his starting running back in Washington, but there is room for rookie Samaje Perine to win the job. Kelley slowed down as last season went on and really left a lot on the table late in the year. Perine should be an upgrade, but we’ll just have to see how training camp goes. My money is on Perine winning the job, but I’m not going to go all out for him in my drafts.
Anquan Boldin, WR, Bills. Anquan Boldin is meeting with the Buffalo Bills today, which is a really good spot for him if he were to sign. The Bills are severely lacking for red-zone targets and veteran leadership. Boldin would be a nice addition for Tyrod Taylor, but as a receiver, Boldin would likely be completely touchdown dependent in fantasy.
July 19 Updates
Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Cowboys. The biggest fantasy news belongs to Ezekiel Elliott, who just recently was involved in an altercation at a club and already had various troubles with exposing a woman’s breasts and charges of abuse. At this point, the investigation into the altercation is still ongoing, but Adam Schefter has reported that a suspension could be coming down the pipe for his earlier transgressions. This is all starting to pile up enough to be truly concerned about his status to start the season. I wish we had a better handle on the number of games he could miss, but my guess – unless this club altercation gets worse – is that he could miss 2-4 games. That puts him in a range that I’d still grab him if he fell later in the first round because he’s just too consistent when he’s on the field. I could see playing it safe and waiting until the second round, but he’s a league-winner when rolling and sometimes you have to take risks to win.
Le’Veon Bell, RB, Steelers. The Steelers offered Le’Veon Bell over $12 million per year, which was more overall than what he would get if he is tagged again next offseason. Who knows if there were any contingencies in the deal that Bell wasn’t a fan of, but it sounds like a damn good deal. He will bet on himself to make even bigger money long term, but this is a risk by Bell. His reluctance to sign should give you a bit more impetus to acquire James Conner in dynasty. If Conner can become the lead back sooner than later, his upside is sky high in this offense.
Kerwynn Williams, RB, Cardinals. Kerwynn Williams appears to be in the lead for the backup job behind David Johnson this season. Williams is not worth handcuffing to Johnson because he would likely lose passing downs to Andre Ellington and split up what fantasy upside he has, but if Johnson were to join a cult and disappear into the Amazon, Williams would be the guy to grab first.
D’Onta Foreman, RB, Texans. Rookie running back D’Onta Foreman was arrested for marijuana possession and unlawful carrying of a weapon. His lawyer refutes both charges, and I expect this case will be in legal limbo for a while, but he did report to OTAs out of shape, which isn’t the best move, especially with Bill O’Brien as the coach. Expect Lamar Miller to hold onto the lead job and Alfred Blue to have a leg up on Foreman going into this season.
Anquan Boldin, WR, FA. Anquan Boldin says he will meet with a team on Sunday and wants to play for a contender. Who knows where he’ll end up, but wherever he goes, he’ll likely hurt the red-zone targets of their receiving crew.
Zach Miller, TE, Bears. The Chicago Sun-Times believes tight end Zach Miller may not make the team unless he has a “really good camp.” The Bears signed Dion Sims this offseason and have a second-round pick in Adam Shaheen. Miller will be a free agent next season, and the Bears would save a couple million dollars if they let him go now. We’ll see how it goes, but if Miller is gone, Dion Sims becomes a play in deeper leagues.
Kirk Cousins, QB, Redskins. Washington doesn’t want to pay Kirk Cousins, or Cousins wants to get away from that dysfunctional cesspool, but either way, Cousins will once again play on the franchise tag, which also heightens his play since he needs to do well to keep getting paid. I like Cousins playing with a chip on his shoulder.
Dalvin Cook, RB, Vikings. Vikings beat writers like what they’ve seen from Dalvin Cook. Matt Vensel of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune believes Cook has the versatility to take the job from Day 1 and keep it. At this point, I think Cook has the upper hand, especially if he can play all three downs and pass protect. That’s asking a lot from a rookie, but so far, the signs are good that he has the ability.
July 13 Updates
Adrian Peterson, RB, Saints. In news you can’t use, Adrian Peterson is targeting 500 receiving yards this season. In other unrelated news, I am targeting Mars as a nice spot to raise my family. Peterson won’t reach 500 yards receiving this season because he’s never done that in his illustrious career, plus he’s so far down the totem pole on the target list that they’d have to dig the pole up and plant it upside down to see him. Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram are ahead of him on the running back target list, which is, of course, not counting all the actual wide receivers and tight ends who are also way ahead of him. This is a long, rambling way to tell you that Peterson is kidding himself and you and that we can’t a take players’ word when it comes to his own stats.
George Kittle, TE, 49ers. The George Kittle hype seems to still be moving at a solid pace. 49ers GM John Lynch talked him up again the other day, saying, “He’s got some suddenness to him in his movements. He catches the ball extremely well. George gives us something we don’t have as a play-maker down in the red zone. He is that guy who can win 1-on-1. He can impose his will and out-athlete people.” That’s pretty high praise, and when you add in that nobody has the starting tight end job wrapped up in this offense, there’s a good chance he can win out. The 49ers still have Brian Hoyer at quarterback and a lack of overall talent on the team, so fantasy points will be few and far between, but in deep 2TE leagues, getting a starter can sometimes be tough.
Emmanuel Sanders, WR, Broncos. Emmanuel Sanders has cut fast food from his diet, so expect Trevor Siemian or Paxton Lynch to be much better at getting the ball to Sanders, who probably weighed something like 300 pounds last season.
Carlos Hyde, RB, 49ers. Carlos Hyde’s job isn’t secure according to beat writer Matt Maiocco. This has been the scuttlebutt in San Francisco this offseason, so it appears that Joe Williams will at least get a chance at work this season. The reasoning behind Hyde’s status is due to the coaching change, his injury history and his contract status. These situations are always tough to decipher, but Hyde is a good running back and his skills should keep him in the lead; however, I could easily see Kyle Shanahan committee Hyde with Williams and even Tim Hightower. This news coupled with a tough schedule and bad offense makes me want to hide from drafting Carlos this season.
Eric Ebron, TE, Lions. Eric Ebron is “overly excited” about his role in the offense for this season. He believes he’ll see more routes and scoring opportunities, which is quite plausible now that Anquan Boldin and his 22 red-zone targets are sitting at home gathering dust.
Demaryius Thomas, WR, Broncos. Demaryius Thomas says he has recovered from the hip issue that slowed him down last season and is ready to roll. The issue sounds like it has been chronic for him, so I would assume that a reoccurrence isn’t a long shot, but Thomas has continued to put up good fantasy numbers even after Peyton Manning’s retirement. Those numbers just look “meh” when you compare the two. Don’t write Thomas off due to bad quarterback play. As long as you can get him at the right price, his consistency should pay off for your team.
Todd Gurley, RB, Rams. Probably the best reason to have some optimism about Todd Gurley’s 2017 season is the fact that Jeff Fisher is gone. His offense was vanilla, and Gurley didn’t have much room to run or variety of play calls. Under Sean McVay, the Rams will at least attempt to play more situational football, playing to a defense’s weaknesses. I’m still not sold on Gurley’s ability to have a big season in this offense, but I do feel like it will be almost impossible to have as bad a season as last year. His ADP is at his ceiling in my mind, so I’ll likely eschew his fantasy advances this season.
July 10 Updates
Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Cowboys. ESPN’s Adam Schefter told SiriusXM Fantasy Sports that he would be hesitant to draft Ezekiel Elliott due to the uncertainty of the NFL’s continuing investigation. Schefter believes there is a real chance Elliott will be suspended after accusations of domestic violence. At this point everything is speculation, but Schefter is the most tuned-in NFL reporter in the business, so this news can’t be dismissed. If you are drafting any early best=ball leagues, I might avoid him in the top half of the first round, but even if he does end up with a suspension, he will still be a great fantasy player when he’s on the field, so the risk isn’t huge unless we start hearing about a long suspension due to unforeseen information coming out.
Mike Gillislee, RB, Patriots. Beat reporter Mike Reiss believes running back Mike Gillislee will take over the LeGarrette Blount role from last season, which was an extremely lucrative fantasy role, as Blount scored 18 touchdowns and ran the ball 299 times. We, of course, can’t count on 18 touchdowns, ever, but if he could somehow touch the ball 299 times, there is no doubt he would put up great numbers in one of the best offenses in the league.
Christian McCaffrey, RB, Panthers. Panthers.com predicts that Jonathan Stewart will receive the bulk of the carries this season, as the coaching staff has been insistent that Stewart’s role won’t change with Christian McCaffrey drafted seventh overall. If Stewart can remain healthy, I believe he would lead the backfield in rushing attempts and goal-line carries. That would leave Christian McCaffrey with backup carries and the bulk of the receiving targets. Right now, Christian McCaffrey is being drafted 31st overall and as the 15th running back off the board. To live up to that ADP, Stewart will likely need to be injured for a good chunk of games. Of course that’s possible, but I don’t like drafting players that early with the hope that a teammate will be brutally injured! In PPR leagues of course, Christian McCaffrey gets a big boost, but that appears to already be factored into his ADP. Unless you are in a full-point PPR league, I would probably let others grab him at his ADP.
Jeremy Hill, RB, Bengals. The Bengals’ website believes Jeremy Hill will still be a factor this season, especially around the goal line. Of course as long as Hill is on the team, they want him to have some motivation, but it appears Mixon is poised to take over the starting role sooner than later. I’m not betting on Hill to be much more than a breather back for Mixon unless practice reports say something completely different in training camp.
Ryan Mathews, RB, FA. Ryan Mathews will likely be let go from the Eagles once he is medically cleared. The fact that he hasn’t been yet is likely a bad sign for his possibilities this season and beyond, as neck injuries are of course scary. He’s off the fantasy radar.
DeShone Kizer, QB, Browns. DeShone Kizer has made strides this offseason, closing the gap on Cody Kessler. This competition appears to be a real one, and Kizer has a decent shot of starting the season behind center if he can show well in the preseason. In deep-2QB leagues, he’s worth adding to your bench.
June 29 Updates
Cam Newton, QB, Panthers. Cam Newton has resumed throwing after his offseason shoulder surgery. He was supposed to begin throwing a week ago, so it’s good to see there hasn’t been any major setbacks. If Newton can stay healthy, he should have a bounceback fantasy season with the addition of Christian McCaffrey to the fold.
George Kittle, TE, 49ers. 49ers rookie tight end George Kittle has impressed beat writers and appears to be in the lead for the starting tight end job. It’s still early and he’s a rookie, so don’t get too excited for re-draft, but if he’s available in dynasty, there’s no reason not to grab him if you can.
Michael Floyd, WR, Vikings. The Vikings wide receiver Michael Floyd was given a day in jail for violating the terms of his house arrest. The Vikings look like they will let it slide, and as long as there aren’t any other problems, he should make the team. Floyd could still see some kind of punishment come down from the league office, but it appears he will out of this situation fairly unscathed. Floyd still has a lot of upside as a player, but he’s behind a long list of receivers in Minnesota now and will have to continue to walk the straight and narrow to stick with the team.
Jamison Crowder, WR, Redskins. Beat writer Rich Tandler believes that Jamison Crowder will out-target Terrelle Pryor this season in Washington. That projection makes sense, as Crowder will be used underneath more than Pryor. I expect Pryor to have a much larger yards-per-reception number, but that doesn’t take much away from Crowder, who should be a great play in all PPR formats at his current ADP.
Andrew Luck, QB, Colts. Andrew Luck still hasn’t resumed throwing after his shoulder surgery, but the Colts seem optimistic. He has no current timetable, so we’ll put a pin in this for now and wait for more news.
Braxton Miller, WR, Texans. Texans second-year receiver Braxton Miller has been getting some praise from wide receivers coach John Perry. He loves Miller’s quickness and speed, but his size is what stands out in the slot. The Texans have DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller on the outside and a run-first offense, but Miller could step up in the slot and have some waiver-wire usefulness. At this point, I’d just make sure he’s rostered in your dynasty leagues.
Jay Ajayi, RB, Dolphins. Dolphins beat reporter James Walker writes that Jay Ajayi “could put up 1,900 total yards if he stays healthy.” That would mostly be an increase in receiving usage, which the team has been touting this offseason. There’s no doubt that Miami is going to try to win the ground battle each week and Ajayi is the key to that. As long as he stays healthy, Ajayi is locked into big usage and should be a safe early running back pick for your fake teams.
June 25 Updates
Kirk Cousins, QB, Redskins. Reports are good that Kirk Cousins will end up getting a long-term extension this year. He’s likely finally proved that he’s the best quarterback they can expect to get, and at this point, the team is good enough to be competitive with him. This would be good news for Terrelle Pryor, Jordan Reed and Jamison Crowder, as a backup quarterback would likely hurt their fantasy value tremendously moving forward.
DeShone Kizer, QB, Browns. The starting quarterback job in Cleveland won’t be a fantasy boon for anyone, but in 2QB leagues getting those starting quarterbacks for bye weeks can be a real pain in the arse. The scuttlebutt out of Cleveland right now is that DeShone Kizer is right with Cody Kessler in competition for the job. Kessler would get the nod to start the season if they are tied, but the odds that Kizer starts multiple games this year are quite good.
Brandin Cooks, WR, Patriots. Bill Belichick has been impressed with Brandin Cooks’ work ethic this offseason, which is probably the highest praise he can give someone and bodes well for his integration into the New England offense. We know Cooks has plenty of ability, but we don’t know how he will be used in his new offense, which leaves for a fairly wide range of fantasy outcomes this season. Of course, he’s on one of the better offenses in the league, and his skill set makes him the best wide receiver on the team. His ADP is likely going to be scary high, but so is his upside.
Jeremy Maclin, WR, Ravens. The Ravens’ new wide receiver Jeremy Maclin says he played through a torn groin last season, but is back to 100 percent. Still just 29 years old, Maclin is now in a more pass-happy offense and will be in line for more targets after averaging just 7.4 per game in Kansas City with both Steve Smith and Dennis Pitta gone.
Eric Ebron, TE, Lions. Eric Ebron is happy with the Lions’ additions of two blocking tight ends in Darren Fells and rookie Michael Roberts. He believes they will help open up more routes and targets and after seeing 85 in 13 games last season, Ebron should be in line to break the 100-target barrier, which only six tight ends accomplished last season. Add in the fact that Anquan Boldin is no longer there, and he should see more red zone targets as well. Barring injury, Ebron has plenty of upside this season at his ADP.
Jesse James, TE, steelers. The Steelers’ tight end situation is one worth keeping an eye on. During OTAs, Jesse James and Ben Roethlisberger worked on end zone routes, which is where James would need to get the bulk of his fantasy points, but James is also seeing competition from Xavier Grimble, who is a better athlete and would put up better numbers per target, but has also shown inconsistency. We could see a split in work, which would kill their upside, but if one wins out, he will be worthwhile in 2TE leagues.
Jamison Crowder, WR, Redskins. The Jamison Crowder hype is growing, and coach Jay Gruden is the latest to praise him, again. He went on and on about his ability and with DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon gone there should be a lot of targets for the taking in Washington. Crowder’s name doesn’t ring too many bells in the everyday fantasy world, so he’s likely going to be had at some value in your everyday leagues, but don’t wait too long.
June 20 Updates
Eric Decker, WR, Titans. Eric Decker has signed with the Titans to help complete an offseason passing-offense upgrade that should help them tremendously as a team. As for fantasy, it helps Marcus Mariota the most, as he has added No. 5 pick Corey Davis and now Decker to his weapons. In total, Mariota now has Decker, Davis, Rishard Matthews and Delanie Walker to throw to, who are all good red-zone targets. Mariota was already extremely efficient in the red zone, but now, he should up his touchdown numbers with a better overall offense and more big targets in the end zone.
Of course, the extra targets aren’t great for any one receiver. The Titans ranked 28th in pass attempts last season, and even though they should pass a bit more with these additions, they aren’t going to stop being a run-first team with DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry pounding the rock. Decker is the likely No. 1 receiver in Tennessee this season, and I expect his touchdown numbers to be strong, but he’s not going to be winning any target contests. We could easily see this trade shoot his ADP up too high based on buzz alone.
Dalvin Cook, RB, Vikings. Rookie Dalvin Cook has impressed Vikings coach Mike Zimmer, and Zimmer isn’t one to give out a ton of praise to players through the media. With Latavius Murray still not ready to practice and Jerrick McKinnon viewed more as a third-down back, Cook is setting up nicely to get a decent amount of work early in the season.
Ryan Switzer, WR, Cowboys. Cole Beasley has been dealing with hamstring tendinitis since Week 10 of last season. He was able to play through it and would likely do the same if the season started tomorrow, but he has been held out of the offseason programs, which should help rookie Ryan Switzer see more work with Dak Prescott and the first team. Switzer would really need to step up to take over the job, but it is in the realm of possibility, and I like his upside more than Beasley for fantasy.
Carlos Hyde, RB, 49ers. The early rumors that Joe Williams could unseat Carlos Hyde as the starting back this season aren’t really on track at the moment, as Carlos Hyde has handled all the first-team work this offseason. Hyde will likely need to suffer an injury to be passed by the rookie on the depth chart this season.
Phillip Dorsett, WR, Colts. Phillip Dorsett has a hamstring injury and is currently sitting out during mini-camp. He’s now in his third season and will have to fight off Kamar Aiken for playing time. The injury isn’t serious, but Aiken is a solid receiver, and Dorsett is not guaranteed anything at this point in his career.
Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Cowboys. Cowboys running backs coach Gary Brown says that Ezekiel Elliott will see more work in the passing game this season. Last season, he only caught 32 passes, but made big plays from them often. With Dez Bryant as the only go-to receiver on the team, expect Brown to be correct. If Elliott can get his receptions into the 50s, he would be right up there with David Johnson and Le’Veon Bell as the best fantasy players in the game, with a shot at surpassing them.
Tarik Cohen, RB, Bears. The Bears beat reporter Jeff Dickerson likes what he’s seen from rookie speedster Tarik Cohen, saying he “has been one of the most impressive performers” so far this offseason. He’s too slight to be anything more than a receiving back, but with news that Jordan Howard has corrected his eyesight and is looking for more receiving work, we could see some conflict here. Keeping Howard on the field would be better for Chicago’s offense as long as he’s excelling as a receiver, but he’ll have to up his game to hold off Cohen and Benny Cunningham.
Terrance West, RB, Ravens. With Kenneth Dixon suspended for the first four games, Terrance West is slated to be the starting running back while Danny Woodhead will take over passing work out of the backfield. This was known, but now Greg Roman and beat writer Jamison Hensley both seem to think it will be West’s job to lose once Dixon returns. Of course, Dixon is a better talent than West, but if the duo of West and Woodhead is clicking, then Dixon may have trouble pushing his way back.
Frank Gore, RB, Colts. Beat reporter Mike Chappell expects Frank Gore to be the workhorse for the team this season. Of course, th Colts just have Robert Turbin and Marlon Mack as backups, so as long as Gore is healthy, he’ll be the lead back. Both Turbin and Mack could cut into his time, with Turbin showing well in the red zone last season, he’ll likely get the first shot to serve as the back up, but Mack is a big play-maker and could fit into the Colts’ offense like a Tevin Coleman for Atlanta.
Kevin White, WR, Bears. Bears receiver Kevin White is “back to full speed” according to the Chicago Tribune. This is of course good news, but it will be nice to see him getting full practices in and continue to show he is healthy enough to be reliable. Right now, Cameron Meredith is Chicago’s No. 1 receiver, but White has the potential to overtake him if he can finally stay healthy.
Jets WRs. The Jets will need receivers to step up behind Quincy Enunwa and Robby Anderson, and that player could be rookie ArDarius Stewart, who they selected in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. So far, however, Stewart can’t get on the field due to thumb and groin issues. For fantasy, you likely won’t need to worry about who the Jets No. 3 receiver is, but it appears Charone Peake is now in the lead for the job, and in deeper leagues these kinds of decisions will need to be made.
June 19 Updates
Jeremy Maclin, WR, Ravens. Jeremy Maclin signed with the Ravens on a 2-year deal worth $11 million. That’s not much for a receiver of his talent, but he will quickly become the No. 1 receiver in Baltimore, even as he’ll likely spend much of his time in the slot, as Mike Wallace and Breshad Perriman will line up on the outside to use their superior speed. The loss of Dennis Pitta should open Maclin up for a lot of targets over the middle, and the Ravens led the league in pass attempts last year.
Joe Mixon, RB, Bengals. At this time of the offseason, we’re always getting speculation on how soon a player who underwent surgery will be ready to go the following season. That’s where we are with Giovani Bernard right now, as beat reporter Geoff Hobson speculates that Bernard could be held out the first couple games of the season. That is good news for Joe Mixon, who should be able to beat Jeremy Hill out for the early down job, and with Bernard out, Mixon should be able to get a leg up on passing game work. I’ll be moving Mixon up in my ranks with this news.
Doug Martin, RB, Bucs. The puff pieces on Doug Martin continue to boost him up, and it appears the praise is coming from multiple reporters who have watched him practice this offseason. The one thing that I do know is that Martin is no longer on the cut block and will be inserted back into the starting rotation when he comes off suspension. Draft Martin and then Jacquizz Rodgers, and you have a pretty good starting running back for cheap.
Ben Watson, TE, Ravens. Ben Watson returned to individual drills and took a pay cut, so things are looking up/down for him, but the good news is that he has the inside track for the starting tight end job with Dennis Pitta going down for a third time with a hip injury. So, Watson just needs to get – and stay – healthy, but the addition of Jeremy Maclin to the fold will likely hurt Watson’s target upside. He should still be useful in a 2TE league, however.
Sammy Watkins, WR, Bills. Sammy Watkins returned to individual drills, which is a good sign, as it looked like he was a little further away from that point according to reports. Health will be his only real obstacle to good fantasy numbers. If he can stay healthy through camp, he should be high on your fantasy list due to his ability and status as the only receiver in Buffalo.
Corey Davis, WR, Titans. Titans first-round pick Corey Davis says he is 100 percent after a minor offseason surgery. Let’s hope he stays healthy, as he could beat out Rishard Matthews as the No. 1 receiver this season if he steps up in training camp.
Bilal Powell, RB, Jets. New York Jets running backs coach Stump Mitchell says the team plans to use both Bilal Powell and Matt Forte, but also mentioned that Powell would be a Pro Bowler if he had lead-back duties. Powell looked great as Forte slowed down last season and is easily the best back on the team now that Forte is past his prime. The only thing keeping Forte in the mix at the moment is that the $4 million he is owed this season is fully guaranteed. The Jets wouldn’t save any money releasing him.
Ryan Mathews, RB, FA. Ryan Mathews still hasn’t been cleared to practice after his neck injury. The Eagles will likely let him go once he is cleared. He’s off the fantasy radar at the moment and would need to show that he is healthy and in a position to see work before looking to take a flier on him.
Austin Hooper, TE, Falcons. Matt Ryan had good things to say about second-year tight end Austin Hooper, saying he has “improved exponentially” this offseason. Hooper is set up as the no-doubt No. 1 tight end, and if he can step up and become a top target, especially in the red zone, his upside is very high in a strong offense. For Hooper’s ADP so far, I’m happy grabbing him in my leagues this season.
June 12 Updates
Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE, Jets. I wrote a while back about Austin Seferian-Jenkins turning his life around, quitting drinking and shedding 25 pounds, but I wasn’t on board with any kind of fantasy value this season, but that may have been premature. The Jets got rid of their two best red-zone threats in Eric Decker and Brandon Marshall, and now slot receiver Quincy Enunwa is the best receiver on the team. Seferian-Jenkins should benefit from those moves as long as he can get on the field. And so far, the reports out of OTAs have been glowing for Seferian-Jenkins, with NJ Advance Media’s Connor Hughes reporting he was “the most impressive player on the field.” That’s not the hardest thing to accomplish with the Jets’ roster, but it also shows that if Seferian-Jenkins keeps it up, he’ll be the starting tight end after his two-game suspension is up.
Adrian Peterson, RB, Saints. New Orleans Saints players can’t say enough good things about Adrian Peterson so far in OTAs. There’s no doubt Peterson is a physical marvel, and if he can stay healthy, there’s no doubt he can be productive on a Saints team with a great offensive line and passing game. Health is my only concern, as I think Peterson is still in good enough shape to be a force between the tackles. Of course, Mark Ingram is also there, and he’s been a fantasy asset of late. It truly is a tough situation for fantasy players, and I see their respective ADPs as being a deciding factor, as I think both are useful at the right price, but you just can’t pay up for either of them at the moment.
Seattle SeahawksThomas Rawls is getting praise for how good he’s looked in OTAs, which of course muddies the projection for that backfield, which is full. The Seahawks signed Eddie Lacy in the offseason, and C.J. Prosise, knock on wood, should be healthy. Lacy is the better three-down back, but Prosise is the better receiver out of all of them. I still think Lacy wins the lead job, but it isn’t carved in stone, and this competition will need to be closely followed this preseason.
Brandin Cooks, WR, Patriots. The Patriots OTAs have shown Brandin Cooks to be, well, Brandin Cooks. He’s lining up all over the line and seems to be on the same page as Tom Brady so far. That’s always a good thing when you’re new to New England’s ways. The Patriots also just extended Julian Edelman, and Rob Gronkowski appears to a full-go already. Add in James White, and you have four players who will demand targets when on the field. The good news for Cooks is that he’s New England’s best wide receiver now, and as long as he has the offense down, he’s going to prove that he will be able to do more with those targets than others. I’m still worried about grabbing him at his ADP, but you cannot downplay his upside.
Jonathan Williams, RB, Bills. Bills backup running back Jonathan Williams has been found not guilty of driving under the influence, which means no suspension coming down the pipe for him. I don’t usually draft running back handcuffs, but in deeper leagues, his upside is worth rostering, as LeSean McCoy is all that stands in his way of good fantasy value.
Eric Decker, WR, Jets. The Jets have talked with the Ravens about an Eric Decker trade, but at this point, most teams will likely wait the Jets out and try to sign him after they let him go. The Ravens are in desperate need of receiver help, and Decker would be the best receiver on the team if he ends up going there. The Ravens are likely the frontrunners for his services, but right now it’s anybody’s guess.
Marcus Mariota, QB, Titans. Marcus Mariota has started taking snaps in OTAs and is on track to be a full participant in training camp. He has had trouble making it through a full season intact, but he’s also shown great upside when he’s healthy. The addition of Corey Davis should help as well.
Randall Cobb, WR, Packers. Packers coach Mike McCarthy says he wants to get the ball to Randall Cobb more this season, but that may be difficult with Davante Adams emerging as a top target last season and the addition of Martellus Bennett. I like Cobb, but the numbers will be tough to accumulate with so many good targets. The good news is the Packers will likely need to throw in the red zone and Aaron Rodgers can help any wide receiver score touchdowns.
New York JetsThe biggest NFL news right now is the Jets’ unrepentant tanking, which was demonstrated yet again when they decided to cut or trade Eric Decker. It will be a bit until we know where he ends up, but we do know the Jets have the worst roster in the league. The absence of Decker and Brandon Marshall will likely put a lot of Jets receivers on the fantasy radar, but I’m going to focus on Quincy Enunwa, who I expect will be the most targets and most dependable Jets receiver this year. But another beneficiary will be Bilal Powell, who should continue to be the main running back target and could see extra work with a weak receiving corps.
Mike Gillislee, RB, Patriots. Mike Gillislee is in the lead for the Patriots starting running back job according to The Boston Globe. Rex Burkhead and Dion Lewis are no slouches and will likely see some work, but Gillislee should be slated for the role that led LeGarrette Blount to 18 touchdowns last season. We, of course, can’t count on those touchdowns, but this offense should be even better than last year and live in the opponent’s red zone.
Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch, QBs, Broncos.
Trevor Siemian has had “more good days” than Paxton Lynch so far in OTAs, according to beat writers. This will be a competition that will go into preseason most likely, but for fantasy concerns, neither is a worthwhile fantasy player except in 2QB leagues.
Jordan Matthews, WR, Eagles. Jordan Matthews has missed a week of OTAs due to knee tendinitis, which is a problem he dealt with last season as well, even though he didn’t miss any time with it. The biggest problem facing Matthews are the additions of Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith. Matthews is still a top target for Carson Wentz, but those targets are going to be spread out more this year.
Mike Williams, WR, Chargers. Rookie Chargers receiver Mike Williams will be out until training camp due to a mild disc herniation. If you are a receiver named Mike Williams and you happen to play for the Chargers, your chances of making it in the league are about .072 percent, but for now, all you need to do is not draft him in redraft leagues, because competition and this early setback are very troublesome.
Andrew Luck, QB, Colts. Andrew Luck still hasn’t started throwing the ball and his status for training camp is unknown following off-season shoulder surgery. At this point I’m not worried about it, but the sooner he can return to practice the better.
Jay Ajayi, RB, Dolphins. Dolphins Offensive Coordinator Clyde Christensen sang the praises of Jay Ajayi, calling him the “most improved” player on offense. The Dolphins have given a lot of lip service to this offense, so I’m not going to give it much thought other than to remind us that Ajayi is likely the foundation to the offense when it is working.
Julius Thomas, TE, Dolphins. Adding to the Dolphins’ fin flapping, backup quarterback Matt Moore said that tight end Julius Thomas is going to be a big part of what they do this season. Reunited with Adam Gase, Thomas is probably in the best position he could be, but he will likely miss Peyton Manning for the rest of his career.
Tyreek Hill, WR, Chiefs. Andy Reid says that Tyreek Hill is the Chiefs’ No. 1 receiver after they let Jeremy Maclin go. I wouldn’t want Hill as my No. 1 receiver if I were a Kansas City fan, but even with the extra defensive attention, his skill set and extra looks should be enough to make him a valuable fantasy player. I do wonder, however, if his ADP is going to skyrocket too far out of “value town.”
Andre Ellington, RB, Cardinals. The Andre Ellington move to wide receiver experiment has ended, probably due to the Cardinals having more need at running back than receiver at the moment. As long as David Johnson is healthy and catching passes, Ellington has little fantasy value, but would be a PPR value if Johnson were sidelined.
June 6 Updates
Tyreek Hill, WR, Chiefs. Jeremy Maclin was cut by Kansas City mostly due to the $12.4 million that he would have made this season, but whatever the reason, it should be a big boost to Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill, who will need to step up again after a strong rookie campaign. Hill needs to improve as a one-on-one route runner and receiver, but his talent should help him continue to make big splash plays, and now with extra targets due to Maclin’s absence, he should see his weekly floor rise considerably.
Colin Kaepernick, QB, FA. The Seattle Seahawks have signed Austin Davis as a backup instead of Colin Kaepernick, and their reasoning seems out of left field. According to reports, Kaepernick was willing to take “backup money,” but they believe Kaepernick is a starter and they needed a backup, so they went with Davis instead. Huh? Of course that makes no sense, so there must be more to it than that. Davis was likely cheaper, but still they admit to Kaepernick seeking “backup money,” so it must not have been a huge discrepancy. If the NFL isn’t blackballing him, the results are still the same.
Jeremy Maclin, WR, FA. Maclin should have quite a few suitors, especially after his poor 2016 can partially be attributed to injuries. Right now, the Buffalo Bills are pursuing him, and despite this not being a great fantasy landing spot, it would make for a great real landing spot for the Bills and Tyrod Taylor. I would love to see Maclin there for Taylor’s upside this season, but a different landing spot would be more beneficial to Maclin’s fantasy value.
Cam Newton, QB, Panthers. It looks like Cam Newton is ahead of schedule on his shoulder rehab, which he needs to have any kind of bounceback this season. With two new rookie offensive weapons who will call for quicker reads and shorter passes will change this offense, and Newton will need to be healthy to get his reps. It appears he will be, and as long as he has no setbacks, he should easily improve on his numbers from last season.
Quincy Enunwa, WR, Jets. Quincy Enunwa talked about new offensive coordinator John Morton’s offense being based on getting the ball out fast with few option routes. That should make the pass offense easier to handle for Josh McCown or Christian Hackenberg, and it also should push Enunwa’s targets up in the slot. The Jets are going to be bad, and Enunwa will have to replace touchdowns with receptions and yards to make fantasy points, but the targets should be there as he’s the no-doubt No. 2 target behind Eric Decker.
Terrance West, Danny Woodhead and Kenneth Dixon, RBs, Ravens.
Terrance West remains the unquestioned starting running back for the Ravens going into the 2017 season, but of course that carries some caveats with it. Danny Woodhead will be the receiving back and could also see plenty of red zone work and Kenneth Dixon will return from his suspension after Week 4. We cannot count on him for more than the first four weeks in standard leagues.
Kenny Golladay, WR, Lions. The hype for Lions rookie Kenny Golladay is pretty strong in OTAs, as more than one beat writer has been singing his praises. Of course, they’ve only seen two practice sessions, but it’s good to hear positive reports for a receiver who should be able to get on the field this year. He’ll likely need an injury to Golden Tate, Marvin Jones, Eric Ebron and/or Theo Riddick to see enough targets to be useful this season.
Dennis Pitta and Ben Watson, TEs, Ravens.
Dennis Pitta dislocated his hip once again. It’s a sad development for Pitta, but one that will likely end his career. Ben Watson suffered an Achilles injury, but says he is ahead of schedule in rehab. As long as Watson doesn’t have any setbacks, he should be the No. 1 tight end in Baltimore and have some TE2 appeal.
Corey Coleman, WR, Browns. Corey Coleman is dealing with a sore hamstring, which is slightly concerning due to his hamstring problems last season. It’s of course too early to use this information in drafting, but if we see a pattern of him sitting out of practices, our radar should start beeping.
Cameron Meredith, WR, Bears. Cameron Meredith sprained his thumb and will likely be out 6-8 weeks. That’s about how much time we have before training camp, so he should be fine for the season, barring a setback.
June 1 Updates
Isaiah Crowell, RB, Browns. Browns coach Hue Jackson says he is committed to running the ball more this season. This of course is an evergreen statement for Jackson, who is a known proponent of the run game. He also said that he believes Isaiah Crowell is ready to take it to another level, which makes sense after a strong 2016 when he rushed for 952 yards and seven touchdowns on just 198 carries. He’ll need to up that carry total to work on cracking the top-10 fantasy running backs, but that does seem to be the plan. Crowell’s current ADP is as the 15th running back, which would come around the third round. That’s a fairly hefty price to pay and shows that you believe he will improve on last year’s numbers, but I also think that’s a fair assessment.
James White, RB, Patriots. James White is a good player, but competition for touches in Belichick’s system always keeps fantasy players a little wary of Patriots running backs. But, it looks pretty clear that White is going to remain the receiving back for the Patriots this season, even if Dion Lewis can stay healthy. Then when you check out their contracts, the division seems even more stark, as White is pulling in $12 million for three years with a nice $4.69 million guaranteed versus Lewis’ two years for $2.6 million with $600,000 guaranteed. White is the guy to watch this year and should be somewhat of a priority in PPR leagues.
Jordan Howard, RB, Bears. Bears running back Jordan Howard has slimmed down this offseason and says he wants to play around 225 pounds. That’s still pretty solid weight for a 6-foot back, but last season, he was in the 230s and says he doesn’t want to come off the field as much as he did his rookie year. As far as offseason hype goes, I’m all about running backs slimming down. Whenever a back says he wants to bulk up to be able to take more and give more punishment, he usually just ends up being slower. We want our backs as slim and maneuverable as possible. Just look at Le’Veon Bell, who was a hefty back at Michigan State, but tightened up as an NFL player and improved enough to be one of the best in the game. Howard is already a top back in the league, but he seems focused on not being a one-hit wonder.
Tony Romo, QB, Cowboys. According to Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report, many NFL executives believe Tony Romo won’t stay retired long, as he will likely be the first quarterback they call if their team loses their starting quarterback. Of course, Romo could decline, but it appears he has left the door open and joining a good team without going to camp would likely get him back on the field. You can’t roster Romo in redraft leagues, but if you have him in dynasty, you might as well hold onto him.
Julius Thomas, TE, Dolphins. The hype machine is whirring for Julius Thomas now that he has reunited with Adam Gase, who was the offensive coordinator who helped him to 24 touchdowns in 27 games while in Denver. Of course, Thomas had Peyton Manning throwing him the ball, but it still shines a glimmer of hope on his possibilities this year. The Dolphins will try to run Jay Ajayi as much as possible, but their best red-zone weapons through the air should be DeVante Parker and Thomas. Offensive coordinator Clyde Christensen believes Thomas can hit double-digit touchdowns this season, but the Dolphins have been pretty loose with their predictions so far this offseason. Thomas has a shot to be a useful fantasy player this year, but he’s still a late-round flier.
JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, Steelers. Rookie JuJu Smith-Schuster has been seeing some time in the slot for the Steelers and could win the job with a good preseason. Without a strong offensive tight end, the Steelers could use Smith-Schuster as a big receiver over the middle and down the seam. It’s too early to move this information into your draft prep, but it is worth keeping an eye on, as Eli Rogers, though solid, doesn’t have the upside of the rookie.
Josh McCown and Christian Hackenberg,
QBs, Jets.
According to beat writers, Josh McCown has easily been the best quarterback during OTAs. Christian Hackenberg has a huge arm, but McCown is a veteran and will be a much better field general for this bad Jets team. But since they are bad, there is also a good chance that their record will dictate that they at least throw Hackenberg to the lions just to appease their fans.
Hunter Henry, TE, Chargers. Beat writer Eric Williams believes Hunter Henry will be the no-doubt No. 1 tight end for the Chargers this season. Of course, Antonio Gates is still on the team and Philip Rivers loves him around the end zone, so touchdowns could be trouble for Henry, even though he should see the bulk of the overall targets. Henry is likely going too early in drafts with Gates in the way.
May 30 Updates
C.J. Prosise, RB, Seahawks. ESPN Seahawks reporter Sheil Kapadia believes that C.J. Prosise could be in line for a big workload through the air and foresees 60 receptions if he can stay healthy. Of course, healthy was Prosise’s problem last season, but I think it’s just too early to put any kind of injury-prone label on him. He should be a strong pick in PPR leagues, but Eddie Lacy is slated to be the early down back.
LeSean McCoy, RB, Bills. Bills running back LeSean McCoy is excited about new offensive coordinator Rick Dennison’s approach to passing to running backs. McCoy cites how Dennison used Arian Foster both in the rushing and receiving game. Dennison isn’t quite Marc Trestman when it comes to throwing to running backs, but he does know how to use them in the passing game, and McCoy should benefit. McCoy remains a solid early round pick for 2017.
Leonard Fournette, RB, Jaguars. The biggest knock on Leonard Fournette for fantasy purposes has been his lack of receptions in college. The good news is that he looked good at the combine, and now, he apparently is looking more than competent as a receiver in OTAs. Hopefully for his fantasy prospects, he excels as a receiver and incorporates that skill into real games, but I’ll take this as a positive note and nothing more for now.
Dalvin Cook, RB, Vikings. Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shumur has talked up rookie Dalvin Cook, saying that he “caught our eye” and that he is an “instinctive runner.” Of course, that is why the Vikings drafted him, but they also like what they see of his pass blocking so far, which is one of the biggest skills he’ll need to get on the field. As a pure runner, Cook is likely the leader on the team, and as soon as he can get the offense and pass protection down, he will likely lead the team in running back snaps.
Terrelle Pryor, WR, Redskins. Kirk Cousins praised incoming wide receiver Terrelle Pryor Jr. by saying, “I like it because I’ve never had a conversation with a receiver like I’ve had with him,” Cousins said about the former quarterback. “He really can see it, and he’s going to hold me accountable.” Cousins went on to say that he’d like to get Pryor “as many touches as possible.” As usual, we can’t take this to mean Pryor is going to lead the league in receiving, but I love him in Washington, as you can see in this profile, and the targets will likely be there for a strong season.
Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE, Jets. Austin Seferian-Jenkins has dropped 25 pounds and appears to have recommitted to football after being released by the Buccaneers following a DUI. He will be suspended the first two games of the season and has little to no redraft value this year, but in deep dynasty leagues, you can hold on to him a bit longer.
Dion Lewis, RB, Patriots. Dion Lewis has all the talent in the world, but can’t stay healthy. Patriots beat writer Mike Reiss guesses they will put Lewis on a snap count of 15-20 plays to keep him healthy. He will also return kickoffs for those in return-yardage leagues, but as it is, it looks like he will be buried on the offensive depth chart this year.
Josh McCown, QB, Jets. Josh McCown is the “heavy favorite” to lead the Jets come Week 1 according to Jets reporter Rich Cimini. McCown, of course, is injury-prone and inconsistent, so Christian Hackenberg will likely see snaps at some point this year. McCown is going to be better for the stability of the offensive fantasy players, but no matter what, this team will struggle.
DeShone Kizer, QB, Browns. DeShone Kizer is “on the fast-track” to winning the Browns’ starting job according to The Cleveland Plain Dealer. Cody Kessler is still in the lead, as he is getting first-team reps, but it appears the team is pushing Kizer and he’s picking up things quickly.
Ryan Switzer, WR, Cowboys. Cowboys offensive coordinator Scott Linehan believes Ryan Switzer will have a “significant” role in the team’s offense. To get a significant roll, Switzer will likely need to pass Cole Beasley on the depth chart, which isn’t out of the question, but in no way a likely scenario. Switzer is someone to have on the redraft radar, but I’d for sure add him in dynasty if you have the chance.
May 26 Updates
Demaryius Thomas, WR, Broncos. Demaryius Thomas says, “This is the best I’ve felt in my whole career.” So, you know where we are in the offseason. As always, take the praise for what it is, which are answers to questions like, “How did Bill Jones look out there?” Thomas feels good, which is better than feeling bad.
Rob Gronkowski, TE, Patriots. Rob Gronkowski has been cleared to get onto the practice field and will ramp things up as we get closer to the season. The team just restructured his contract and must feel good about how he’s recovered. Look for him to once again dominate while healthy.
Kelvin Benjamin, WR, Panthers. Kelvin Benjamin looks a little chunky in OTAs and has been getting some criticism from around the internets and beyond, but coach Ron Rivera says he likes where Benjamin’s conditioning is and seems to be trying to get some of the heat off him. It’s still early, and Benjamin will have plenty of time to slim down, so don’t get to worked up over this in May.
Charles Clay, TE, Bills. Charles Clay continues to battle knee problems and likely will continue doing so from here on out. The Bills will manage his reps, and he’ll likely sit out quite a few practices and live on the injury report. Clay’s someone who, when healthy, has good upside, but it doesn’t look like he’ll truly be healthy again.
Colin Kaepernick, QB, FA. Colin Kaepernick visited with the Seahawks, and it appears the interest is mutual to sign him as a backup to Russell Wilson at some point. Hopefully, it works out because Seattle would be a great landing spot for him.
Jay Ajayi, RB, Dolphins. The Dolphins are all about the offseason hype, and the newest hyperbolic statement is that Jay Ajayi could see 350 carries. This came from head coach Adam Gase himself, so it’s likely just a proclamation that the Dolphins will run the ball, which would also mean they have leads more often than not. I also doubt Ajayi, with his hard-nosed running style, can put in 350 carries without hitting the injury report a few times.
Breshad Perriman, WR, Ravens. Breshad Perriman has stood out in OTAs according to tight end Dennis Pitta, who says, “nobody is making more plays.” Again, not much to glean from this other than Perriman is healthy and showing his ability, which we already knew was good. If he can stay healthy, he should see plenty of targets and has greater upside than his current ADP.
Corey Davis, WR, Titans. Corey Davis had minor surgery on his ankle after injuring it training in January. He says he could play right now, but the Titans will take it slowly. Right now, this is likely a non-issue. Davis should easily win a starting job in camp and become useful in fantasy this year.
Adrian Peterson, RB, Saints. The Saints are working on Adrian Peterson’s receiving skills this offseason, which has been the case just about every offseason for Peterson, and will amount to nothing, especially on the Saints where there are three running backs with better receiving ability. Expect Peterson to be the battering ram while healthy.
Michael Thomas, WR, Saints. Peterson’s teammate Michael Thomas has added 10 pounds this offseason. He’s now 220 pounds, which fits right into his 6-foot-3 frame. This feels like normal growth of a young receiver, but can only help him shed tackles and out-body defenders for the ball. Thomas is set up for a strong season with Brandin Cooks in Foxboro.
Laquon Treadwell, WR, Vikings. Laquon Treadwell ran with the first team in OTAs and heard some praise from coach Shurmur, saying, “He’s been out here competing and doing a nice job running routes and catching the ball.” Shurmur went on to say, “He came back, and he was really on point with what he’s supposed to be doing mentally.” The good news here is that he’s starting this year as the starter. There will be a lot of competition for targets in an offense that rather slow things down. It might be a while until we see fantasy rewards from Treadwell, but he does have ability.
Ryan Switzer, WR, Cowboys. Rookie Ryan Switzer saw first-team reps with Cole Beasley sidelined due to a hamstring injury. Dak Prescott said, “He’s got something special to him,” which is better than saying, “Who?” Beasley will likely be the slot man for Dallas, but Switzer has the ability to beat him out at some point this season.
Jimmy Garoppolo, QB, Patriots. Jimmy Garoppolo is likely to stick with the Patriots past this season according to Adam Schefter. If this turns out to be true, Garoppolo’s dynasty upside is sky high as the successor to Tom Brady, who despite his immortality, will likely want to take a vacation at some point.
Danny Woodhead, RB, Ravens. Danny Woodhead is practicing without restrictions and should be a full go for preseason. He’ll be in line for a ton of work in the passing game while Kenneth Dixon is out the first four weeks. Woodhead should afterward continue to be a factor in PPR, but will have a tougher time getting his full allotment of targets.
Kevin White, WR, Bears. Kevin White can’t get healthy, and now it’s being reported that he is “working to align his stride” when running. That’s not good news. We’ll need to see him fully healthy on a practice field before investing much in him for fantasy, as his injuries all seem to stem from one injury that has picked up new injuries for the ride.
May 23 Updates
This is the time of the season where coaches give effusive praise to players they watched run around in shorts, so we have to always take everything they say with a grain of salt. But the fact they are talking about them at all does at least show those players are in the conversation to compete for playing time, so I do think it’s worth at least noting what is being said.
John Brown, WR, Cardinals. One player who we needed some positive information on is Cardinals receiver John Brown. Last season, he was slowed down by side effects of sickle cell and a cyst on his spine. Following surgery to drain the cyst, he says he quickly felt much better, and according to teammates and coach Bruce Arians, it showed out on the field. “Smoke looks like John Brown,” said Arians. “A couple of those routes he ran, he did not run one route like that last year. Knock on wood it stays that way.” With Michael Floyd in Minnesota and Larry Fitzgerald likely retiring after this season, this is John Brown’s year to get things going, and if he can stay healthy, he should.
Samaje Perine, RB, Redskins. Running back Samaje Perine impressed coach Jay Gruden in rookie minicamp. Gruden gave him some run-of-the-mill praise, but didn’t mention anything about Robert Kelley and the starting running back position, whereas beat writers feel like Perine already has the upper hand for the job. I like Perine better myself, and he’ll be the player I take in drafts this year, but hopefully the hype stays muted and he can be had for an okay ADP.
LeGarrette Blount, RB, Eagles. LeGarrette Blount is an Eagle now. His addition fills a pretty big need for Philadelphia, which also means he should see plenty of work, as the team ranked fifth in the league in rushing attempts inside the opponent’s five-yard line last season. Ryan Mathews scored eight touchdowns in 2016, so Blount should be in line for a strong number, but will again be more valuable in non-PPR leagues.
Joe Williams, RB, 49ers. Beat writer Matt Maiocco believes rookie Joe Williams could become the starting running back over Carlos Hyde as early as Week 1 of the season. There is plenty of reason to believe new head coach Kyle Shanahan wants Williams to lead, as Shanahan picked him and Hyde is on the last season of his contract. The main problem is that Hyde is pretty darn good when healthy. If he stays healthy, I don’t see Williams beating him out this year, but it would appear that any slip up on Hyde’s part could lose him a lot of work to Williams.
Kareem Hunt, RB, Chiefs. ESPN beat reporter Adam Teicher believes rookie Kareem Hunt will lead the team in rushing this season. This is just conjecturing of course, but there is no doubt Hunt and Spencer Ware will be fighting for that lead-back job. I like Ware, but whatever happens, there is a good chance they hurt each other’s numbers.
DeVante Parker, WR, Dolphins. The DeVante Parker hype machine is in full effect. Offensive coordinator Clyde Christensen expects a “gigantic year” from Parker, while Parker says he expects to have a “big season.” Those are technical football terms that I doubt y’all could understand, but it means they think he will do well at playing football. The Dolphins will likely build their offense off of Jay Ajayi, but Parker has the ability to be a No. 1 wide receiver and should be their main red-zone threat through the air.
Josh Doctson, WR, Redskins. Washington has a strong receiving corps, but it could be elite if Josh Doctson is healthy and lives up to his potential. So far the news is good, with reports that he “has looked quick and healthy this offseason.”
Jamaal Charles, RB, Broncos. Denver beat reporter Mike Kilis believe Jamaal Charles has a 50/50 chance of making the roster. Charles’ contract has no guarantees, so he is expendable unless he really shows he is back to his old form. Kilis is purely guessing of course, but Charles won’t be handed a job.
Joe Mixon, RB, Bengals. Andy Dalton believes the Bengals’ offense will make “a big jump” this year with the addition of John Ross’ speed and Joe Mixon’s versatility. Dalton went on to say that that one of the reasons the Bengals drafted Mixon was because he could run and catch, so they wouldn’t tip defenses off with him in the backfield. That’s fairly damning to Jeremy Hill and Gio Bernard. Mixon has a good chance to win the starting job early.
Eddie Lacy, RB, Seahawks. Eddie Lacy earned a $55,000 bonus for weighing 253 pounds – his team specified goal was 255 -, and there are a bunch of other incentives built into his contract. He has a lot of carrots to chase this year and if he keeps eating them, he should be able to stay in shape, make some money and lead the Packers at running back.
Ladarius Green, TE, Steelers. The Steelers released Ladarius Green due to his concussion trouble. It’s always sad to see someone with so much talent be unable to use it. Green may try to continue in the NFL, but he’ll need to pass concussion protocol, and the chances of him staying healthy will remain very slim. The Steelers have Jesse James, Xavier Grimble and David Johnson at tight end with James as the likely starter. Green’s absence will likely help Martavis Bryant the most, as Green was a good field stretcher.
Ryan Fitzpatrick, RB, Bucs. The Buccaneers signed Ryan Fitzpatrick as their backup. He’s awful.
May 10 Updates
Jamaal Charles, RB, Broncos. Jamaal Charles is now a Bronco. Seeing him in a Denver uniform will be jarring to say the least, but it is done, and now we have to figure out if we should draft any of the Broncos’ running backs in fantasy this season. Of course, the biggest factor for deciding that is squarely on Charles’ knee and how it will respond to a 16-game season. I of course can’t answer that, so, the end.
Oh wait, I need to get my crystal ball out. Let’s see, well, this ball looks kind of like Charles’ knee in his Instagram a few weeks back, but with a lot less bloated flesh. Of course, I’m no doctor, and maybe Charles has one knee larger than the other or he had one knee implant, who knows. Suffice it to say, Charles isn’t far removed from swelling, and I doubt he’s going to be the old J.C. Superstar at 30 with multiple knee surgeries under his, uh, knee.
That leaves me to continue considering C.J. Anderson as the starter, albeit with much less certainty than yesterday. If Charles ends up looking great in training camp, then we’ll need to revisit this a few more times, but for now, I’ll be dropping Anderson a bit in my rankings, but leaving him as the starter.
Ladarius Green, TE, Steelers. Ladarius Green is participating in OTAs, but we’re not sure if he’s yet been cleared of his concussion(s). It’s good news he is out there, but it’s also tough to feel any kind of confidence in his ability to get on the field and stay on the field. The Steelers didn’t draft a tight end, so they may feel better about his chances than I do, but they were willing to, and did, play with Jesse James for most of last season. Green has great upside in this offense, but I’m only taking a flier on him in deep leagues this season.
Sammy Watkins, WR, Bills. The Bills did not pick up Sammy Watkins’ fifth-year option, in case you were wondering which team is the dumbest today. Yes, Watkins continues to deal with injuries, but he’s shown how great he can be and if you are so injury averse that you give up on possibly a Top-5 wide receiver talent who will be just 25 years old next season, well, you’re dumb. The Bills, of course, can franchise tag him if they want to keep him after this season, but that will end up costing them a lot more.
LeGarrette Blount, RB, FA. Now that the 2017 NFL Draft is over, we will likely start to see a few more veterans sign with teams, like Jamaal Charles just did. LeGarrette Blount is one of those veterans, and it appears he is being sought by the Lions and the Giants. Both teams make sense for him as an early down, goal-line back, as either team’s “starting” running back isn’t your prototypical early down back, but also neither team is the Patriots. Additionally, neither the Lions nor the Giants has a good run game for Blount to come into and dust-pan touchdowns up into his satchel. He would be a touchdown-dependent fantasy play each week with either team.
Doug Martin, RB, Bucs. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ GM says that Doug Martin “has looked as good as I’ve seen him” during the offseason program. This is a good sign, as Martin will miss the first three games due to suspension and has been rumored to be a possible cut casualty. But it’s starting to look like he’ll survive this suspension and be set up to lead the way once he returns. Martin likely won’t be an every-down back, but should take on a lead-back role, which will give him a higher floor than his compatriots.
Eagles RBs. The Eagles didn’t grab a starting running back in the 2017 NFL Draft, and we are still uncertain of Ryan Mathews’ future due to his neck injury, so that puts Darren Sproles in as the “lead” back with Wendell Smallwood and others forming a committee of some ilk. The only positive I see from this situation is for Carson Wentz, who will need to throw the ball a whole hell of a lot.
Alvin Kamara, RB, Saints. Beat writer Larry Holder believes rookie Alvin Kamara will be the new Darren Sproles for the Saints. That can be an extremely productive role in PPR leagues, so we’ll need to keep an eye on how well Kamara integrates with the offense this fall. I don’t like his ability as much as Sproles, but on a fast track in the dome, Kamara can pick up receptions and yardage in a hurry if he’s getting work.
Paul Perkins, RB, Giants. Giants head coach Bob McAdoo called Paul Perkins the starting running back. It seems a bit early for him to make that proclamation, but it is a good sign for the second-year player. The Giants’ running game is a mess behind that line and play calling, but Perkins could put together a lot of touches this season for a decent draft value. Of course as I noted earlier, the Giants are currently rumored to be kicking LeGarrette Blount straight in the tire.
Samaje Perine, RB, Redskins. ESPN’s John Keim believes rookie running back Samaje Perine will be an “instant challenger” to Rob Kelley. This isn’t big news, but confirmation of what most were thinking. Kelley has a year in Washington’s offense under his belt, so he’ll have the head start, but I believe Perine should be able to beat him out on an even playing field.
Mike Glennon, QB, Bears. Mike Glennon was a little peeved that the Bears traded up to pick Mitchell Trubisky until he looked at his 18.5 million dollar windfall.
April 26 Updates
Martavis Bryant, WR, Steelers Martavis Bryant has been reinstated. This is great news for the Steelers, as they severely missed a play-maker opposite Antonio Brown last season. Of course, Bryant is likely one strike away from being permanently banished, but he has too much talent to base your fantasy pick on him messing up again, especially in re-draft leagues. I can understand being more skeptical for dynasty leagues though.
Bryant has seen five or more targets in 16 of his 21 games in the NFL, and in those 16 games, he’s seen 126 targets for 71 receptions, 1220 yards and 13 touchdowns. His 17.2 yards per reception is great, and with Antonio Brown on the other side, those deep targets from Ben Roethlisberger will be there. Of course, we can worry about where Bryant is physically and mentally, but the fact that Goodell and his henchmen have cleared him is a good sign for his commitment this season.
Jay Cutler, QB, FA. Jay Cutler doesn’t seem to have any plans to not play football this season, so he will land with a team at some point. Teams will likely wait to see how the 2017 NFL Draft shakes out to see how Cutler would fit, but despite his mediocre ability at times, he still has the arm talent to push a passing game forward at times. The Texans likely need him more than many teams, but there really hasn’t been any news linking him with any teams yet. My hope is that he does end up with the Texans because he would be an upgrade for DeAndre Hopkins’ fantasy outlook.
Latavius Murray, RB, Vikings. Latavius Murray is recovering from ankle surgery, but says he will be ready for training camp. Murray has shown that he can get what’s given to him at the line, but also that he’s unable to create like a top running back in the league. He will serve as the early down/goal-line back for the Vikings, while Jerick McKinnon will likely see third-down/receiving work. The state of the Vikings’ run blocking was in disarray last season, and we should see that carry over into 2017. I like McKinnon’s skill set more, but neither back has much upside in this offense while splitting work.
Marshawn Lynch, RB, FA. The Raiders and Marshawn Lynch are still working on a contract, but Lynch’s price is too high for where he is at this point in his career. The Raiders want to have him signed or not by the draft so they can know where they stand, so expect some more definitive news to come out soon. Lynch, like Adrian Peterson, is on the downside of his career, but the Raiders offensive line and overall offense would be a great fit for Lynch, especially around the goal line.
Adrian Peterson, RB, Saints. Speaking of Peterson, he is officially a Saint now. You can check out my write up here on Mark Ingram’s and his fantasy prospects in New Orleans this season. The good news is that both should have fantasy value, but after that it gets tough. If Peterson’s body can hold up, I expect him to put up good numbers even if he is Ingram’s backup, but at Peterson’s age, I don’t think we can count on him playing 16 games.
Jonathan Williams, RB, Bills. Now that Mike Gillislee is in New England, we need to be aware of who is behind LeSean McCoy in Buffalo, because the Bills are set up well for the run game and McCoy does have a lot of mileage on his treads. At the moment, that backup is former fifth-round pick Jonathan Williams. We’ll need to see if the Bills go after a running back in the 2017 NFL Draft, but as long as they don’t make some odd splash pick early, I think Williams will still be in the lead for backup duties in 2017. This ups Williams’ dynasty value quite a bit and also puts him in contention for fantasy relevance this season.
Mike Gillislee, RB, Patriots. Mike Reiss of ESPN Boston believes that Mike Gillislee will fill LeGarrette Blount’s role from last season. If the pecking order shakes out that way, Gillislee instantly becomes a strong fantasy play, as Blount led the league with 18 rushing touchdowns last season and saw 299 carries. On the season, the Patriots gave running backs a total of 529 total rushes and targets, which ranked second to New Orleans’ 532, so there is a lot of running back work to be had, but if you are looking for touchdowns, then Gillislee is in the drivers seat at the moment.
April 18 Updates
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers wisely exercised their fifth-year team option for Mike Evans and have plans to extend his contract. This is, of course, the smartest move they could make, as Evans is still just 23 years old and the main source of offense on the team. The addition of DeSean Jackson should free Evans up more this season and make his targets more lucrative.
In other Bucs’ news, Doug Martin showed up for voluntary workouts on Monday. He appears to be done with rehab, but of course, he has been suspended for the first three games of the season. He is allowed to participate in training camp and in the preseason, but his future with Tampa Bay is still up in the air. At the moment, Charles Sims and Jacquizz Rodgers are the starting components of that backfield for the first three games of the season. Something has to give there, but at the moment, Sims and Rodgers have veteran appeal, especially late in fantasy drafts. Martin is a wild card at the moment. If he sticks with the Bucs and they don’t add a rookie or veteran to compete, he has plenty of appeal, but those are big “ifs.”
Andrew Luck’s 2015 shoulder injury finally caught up to him, precipitating this offseason’s surgery. Hopefully for his fantasy backers, this is a sign that he could actually get completely healed instead of just managing the pain, but that is purely speculative. It looks like he could miss some of training camp, but insists he’ll be fine for Week 1. It’s not the best news you’ll ever hear, but as it is I’m still on board for a strong 2017.
Blake Bortles has the throwing motion of Bugs Bunny, so this offseason he’s been working with a throwing mechanics specialist. This news is likely useless, but it’s better than him sitting on his couch eating Hot Cheetos and watching Nashville all offseason. The opportunities will again be there for Bortles to prove himself, and even if he can’t turn the corner on his development, he will still have good receivers and many pass attempts.
I’m guessing there haven’t been any other running backs to score 18 touchdowns one season to then be free agency hot garbage the following offseason. But LeGarrette Blount is that guy this season. The Patriots do have a standing offer to re-sign him, but it undoubtedly doesn’t sniff the money he’d like after 18 touchdowns. The Patriots signed Rex Burkhead, who they think can do some of the same work as Blount with more versatility and they also have Dion Lewis and James White, so Blount won’t be seeing that offer rise anytime soon. There is a real chance Blount will be fairly useless in fantasy this season after leading the league in rushing touchdowns in 2016.
Kansas City coach Andy Reid says he’s a “big Spencer Ware fan,” which could be coach-speak, but is also better than him saying little to nothing about Ware, who had a down second half to last season after suffering a concussion. Reid goes into more detail about his fandom, “Well, the kid’s dirty tough. He’s going to give you an honest down every snap. He’s not real fancy – that’s not his deal, but he can block, he can catch and he can run. So, there’s a place for Spencer, and this was really his first year as a full-time halfback.” And I agree with that assessment. I’m also thinking that Ware’s concussion threw him off his game and 2017 is set up for a nice run, but we will have to see if Kansas City adds any real depth at the position before we can feel safe with him as a RB2.
Jan. 20 Updates
And then there were four.
This season, as most seasons have, seems to have flown by once again, but we have three games left and they should be good – crossing fingers.
Thankfully, we the NFL offseason is full of interesting tidbits, so I’ll be keeping you updated on NFL news that could impact your dynasty teams and your draft prep for the 2017 season. But there is still some news related to players playing this season! Let’s take a look-see:
Jordy Nelson practiced without pads on Thursday. That means he still hasn’t been cleared for contact, which isn’t good for his availability in Atlanta this week. If he does manage to get into the game, he would likely be on a snap count. I won’t be messing with him in DFS this weekend.
Davante Adams and Geronimo Allison weren’t able to practice on Thursday, and it appears they won’t get a practice in until Saturday. Allison will likely play and play more than Jordy Nelson, while Adams will test his ankle on Saturday, but it might be hard to trust any of Green Bay’s receivers in daily fantasy even if they play. Hopefully, we’ll get a bit more information on their health, respectively, before Sunday, but right now, Randall Cobb is in line for a ton of targets, along with Jared Cook and Ty Montgomery, while Trevor Davis and Jeff Janis would see more snaps.
Julio Jones aggravated his toe injury last week and has yet to practice this week. He’ll play without a doubt, but there is concern about him aggravating the injury again and just how healthy he’ll be to start. Matt Ryan will spread the ball around as usual, which should get Mohammed Sanu, Taylor Gabriel, Tevin Coleman and Devonta Freeman all involved more if Jones is hampered at all.
Malcolm Mitchell was limited again in practice on Thursday. He was also limited last week before sitting out. Unlike all the other Patriots who see limited practices, it appears Mitchell will again be a game-time decision and hard to trust in daily fantasy if he suits up.
Ladarius Green didn’t practice on Thursday after getting some time in on Wednesday. He does have the flu, but his lingering concussion symptoms are the truly worrisome part. Unless the news gets much better and fast, Green will be out again this weekend. Jesse James will remain a decent flier for DFS purposes, but Jared Cook is likely the most interesting pick at tight end.
Green’s concussion trouble is truly a problem for his long-term ability to play in the NFL, so if you have him in dynasty, I doubt you can trade him away for much. He’s still worth holding onto, but I’m more than a little skeptical that he can continue to play.
Martavis Bryant has applied for reinstatement after his season-long suspension. Who knows if and when he will be reinstated, but if the reports of him training in Nevada while helping out as an assistant high school coach are accurate and he hasn’t broken anymore NFL rules, he should be reinstated with more expediency than Aldon Smith. The Steelers appeared to have replaced him fairly well with Sammie Coates very early in the season, but Coates injured his hand and never regained his role in the offense. Bryant could be a special player, but of course another receiver with great talent, Josh Gordon, has burned dynasty players. I wouldn’t give up the farm for Bryant in dynasty, but his upside is tremendous.
Adrian Peterson says he would like to play for the Buccaneers, Texans or Giants. His current salary in Minnesota will amount to $18 million and nobody in the NFL will pay that, so he will likely be let go. None of those teams above are a perfect fit. Peterson is obviously on the downside of his career, but will probably be paid too much by whatever team grabs him this offseason.
Danny Woodhead is ahead of schedule with his recovery, and was seen running and cutting the other day. He’s 32 years old and has been injured more than healthy over the last three seasons. Getting the one ring to Mt. Doom must have really taken it out of him. He’s a free agent this offseason, and his receiving ability should still get him an okay contract even with his age and injury history. For fantasy, he’ll need to go to a team that uses the pass as an extension of the running game, which would again make him a worthwhile PPR player.
Also, check out our Fantasy Football Rankings.
More 2015 Fantasy Football Articles:
Fantasy Football Rankings
2015 Fantasy Football Rankings:
2015 Fantasy Football Rankings: Quarterbacks - 9/10 (Walt)
Chet Gresham's Fantasy Football Quarterback Rankings - 9/4 (Chet)
2015 Fantasy Football Rankings: Running Backs - 9/10 (Walt)
Chet Gresham's Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings - 9/4 (Chet)
2015 Fantasy Football Rankings: Wide Receivers - 9/10 (Walt)
Chet Gresham's Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Rankings - 9/4 (Chet)
2015 Fantasy Football Rankings: Tight Ends - 9/10 (Walt)
Chet Gresham's Fantasy Football Tight End Rankings - 9/4 (Chet)
Chet Gresham's Fantasy Football Flex Rankings - 9/4 (Chet)
2015 Fantasy Football PPR Rankings - 9/4 (Chet)
2015 Fantasy Football Rankings: Defenses - 8/27 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football Rankings: Kickers - 8/27 (Walt)
Fantasy Football Rookie Rankings - 5/14 (Walt)
Fantasy Football Rookie Rankings: Dynasty - 5/14 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football Mock Drafts:
2015 Fantasy Football Mock Draft Simulator - 9/10 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football Mock Draft - 9/3 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football Mock Draft - 8/27 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football Mock Draft - 8/20 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football Mock Draft - 8/13 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football Experts Draft - 8/11 (Chet)
2015 Fantasy Football Mock Draft - 8/7 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football Mock Draft - 8/6 (Chet)
2015 Fantasy Football Mock Draft - 7/31 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football Mock Draft - 7/23 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football Mock Draft (2-QB) - 7/15 (Chet)
2015 Fantasy Football Mock Draft (PPR) - 7/6 (Chet)
2015 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheets:
2015 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 250 - 9/10 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 250 PPR - 9/10 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 250 2-QB - 9/10 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 250 Touchdown League - 9/10 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Custom - 9/10 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football: Dynasty Rankings - 9/10 (Walt)
Chet Gresham's Fantasy Football Top 200 Rankings - 9/4 (Chet)
Chet Gresham's 2015 Fantasy Football Positional Cheat Sheet - 9/4 (Chet)
Chet Gresham's 2015 Fantasy Football Overall Cheat Sheet - 9/4 (Chet)
2015 Fantasy Football Articles:
2015 Fantasy Football Stock Report: Training Camp - 9/10 (Walt)
Fantasy Football Tight End Matchup Chart: Week 1 - 9/9 (Chet)
Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Matchup Chart: Week 1 - 9/8 (Chet)
2015 Fantasy Football Sleepers - 9/8 (Walt)
Fantasy Football Running Back Matchup Chart: Week 1 - 9/7 (Chet)
Fantasy Football Quarterback Matchup Chart: Week 1 - 9/6 (Chet)
2015 NFL Preseason Recap, Fantasy Football Notes - 9/4 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football Preseason Stock - 9/4 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football Quarterback Targets - 9/4 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football Busts - 9/4 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football Goal-Line Running Backs - 9/3 (Chet)
2015 Fantasy Football News - 9/1 (Chet)
2015 Fantasy Football: Better Than ADP - 8/31 (Chet)
Daily Fantasy Football: Running Backs - 8/27 (Chet)
2015 Fantasy Football: Late-Round Running Back Fliers - 8/24 (Chet)
2015 Fantasy Football Fallout: Jordy Nelson Injury - 8/24 (Chet)
2015 Fantasy Football Players to Target - 8/22 (Chet)
2015 Fantasy Football Spreadsheets - 8/22 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football Round-by-Round Strategy Guide - 8/20 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football: The Perfect Draft - 8/20 (Chet)
2015 Fantasy Football Players to Avoid: LeSean McCoy - 8/18 (Chet)
2015 Fantasy Football Values: Wide Receivers - 8/14 (Chet)
Daily Fantasy Football: Wide Receivers - 7/29 (Chet)
2015 Fantasy Football Value Profile: Brian Quick - 7/22 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football Value Profile: Eli Manning - 7/17 (Walt)
Daily Fantasy Football: A Primer - 7/10 (Chet)
2015 Fantasy Football Value Profile: Jarvis Landry - 7/7 (Walt)
Fantasy Football Offseason Stock Report: Up - 5/15 (Walt)
Fantasy Football Offseason Stock Report: Down - 5/15 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football: First-Round Bust History - 2/17 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football: Overdrafted Players - 2/15 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football: Running Backs with Most Carries - 2/15 (Walt)
NFL Picks - Dec. 11
2025 NFL Mock Draft - Dec. 11
NFL Power Rankings - Dec. 9
2026 NFL Mock Draft - Nov. 29
Fantasy Football Rankings - Sept. 4
