2021 Fantasy Football Stock Report: Training Camp




With players beginning to practice with each other, there will be updates daily to this 2021 Fantasy Football Training Camp Stock page for any news in the meantime.

If there’s an injury or a player surprising/disappointing, I’ll let you know about it and adjust my 2021 Fantasy Football Rankings accordingly. Follow me @walterfootball for updates.




2021 Fantasy Football Stock Report – Training Camp



Sept. 7

Ty’Son Williams, RB, Ravens
I was already a big fan of Ty’Son Williams. Things got even better for him in the wake of the Justice Hill torn ACL news. There was a chance Hill would take some touches away from Williams, but not anymore.


Sept. 6

Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Cowboys
Zack Martin will be out for Week 1. This isn’t a huge blow for Elliott’s entire season, but it just makes the difficult Week 1 matchup even tougher.

Jake Funk, RB, Rams
After thinking about it, I’ve moved Jake Funk into my Fantasy Football Sleepers list. Neither Darrell Henderson nor Sony Michel impress me, and the Rams didn’t play Funk at all in the preseason finale.




Sept. 5

Saquon Barkley, RB, Giants
Saquon Barley is not expected to have a full workload in Week 1, according to the Athletic. This isn’t a surprise, given that Barkley has barely been able to practice this summer.

Evan Engram, TE, Giants
Evan Engram’s calf injury appears as though it’ll sidelined him for Week 1, according to the Athletic. Soft-tissue injuries tend to linger, so Engram could miss multiple games.





Sept. 4

Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Cowboys
Pro Bowl right tackle La’el Collins could miss the season opener because he’s still recovering from hip surgery. Uh oh, here we go again! Dallas’ offensive line was ravaged by injury last year, and Ezekiel Elliott will certainly miss Collins if he’s out for a while.


Sept. 3

Qadree Ollison, RB, Falcons
I’ve seen some Qadree Ollison hype because Mike Davis is not a sure thing. Ollison has been waived, so he’s no longer an option. Wayne Gallman was signed instead, but he’s not any sort of fantasy option.





Sept. 2

T.Y. Hilton, WR, Colts
T.Y. Hilton has been placed on injured reserve, so he’ll miss at least the first three weeks of the season.

Michael Pittman Jr., WR, Colts
T.Y. Hilton will miss the first three weeks of the season at the very least, meaning Michael Pittman Jr. has a nice opportunity to establish himself as the No. 1 receiver. He’ll be a good value as long as Carson Wentz is healthy.

Irv Smith Jr., TE, Vikings
Irv Smith Jr. is out for the year with meniscus surgery.


Sept. 1

Tarik Cohen, RB, Bears
Tarik Cohen has been placed on the PUP list, so he’ll miss the first six games of the season.

T.Y. Hilton, WR, Colts
T.Y. Hilton will miss multiple weeks because of a neck injury, per reports. Hilton’s fantasy stock has been plummeting all summer, so hopefully you don’t have him on your fantasy roster.


Aug. 31

Damien Harris, RB, Patriots
Damien Harris’ stock has improved in the wake of Mac Jones winning the starting quarterback job. Each Cam Newton scramble would be one fewer carry that Harris would receive, which is particularly significant in the red zone.

Jakobi Meyers, WR, Patriots
Jakobi Meyers, the No. 1 receiver on the Patriots, will benefit from Mac Jones being his quarterback. Each Newton scramble was a potential target removed from Meyers, and Jones obviously doesn’t run nearly as much as Newton.

Cam Newton, QB, Patriots
Cam Newton has been released in the wake of Mac Jones winning the starting quarterback job. Jones had a stellar preseason, although he did nothing but battle practice squad defenders.

Ty’Son Williams, RB, Ravens
Two pieces of good news for Ty’Son Williams: First, he’s officially been named the No. 2 running back. Second, there were rumors that the Ravens would pursue Todd Gurley, but ESPN’s Josina Anderson reported that will not be the case. Make sure you get Williams on your fantasy team.


Aug. 30

J.K. Dobbins, RB, Ravens
It’s been confirmed that J.K. Dobbins is out for the year with a torn ACL. Gus Edwards is now an RB2, while Ty’Son Williams is a late-round sleeper.

Irv Smith Jr., TE, Vikings
Irv Smith Jr. will miss the beginning of the regular season because of meniscus surgery. I liked Smith as a nice value pick this year, but that’s no longer the case.


Aug. 27

Kenny Golladay, WR, Giants
Kenny Golladay has yet to begin practicing since suffering a hamstring injury. Golladay was supposed to be out 2-3 weeks, but he’s been missing for nearly four weeks now. Soft-tissue injuries tend to linger, so Golladay is a risky pick at his ADP.

D’Andre Swift, RB, Lions
Both Dan Campbell and Duce Staley have expressed concern about D’Andre Swift’s status for Week 1. Swift should be dropped a whole round from his current ADP.


Aug. 26

Devin Funchess, WR, Packers
Devin Funchess was carted off the field at practice and is now out for the year. It’s a shame because he looked great in his first preseason game.

Xavier Jones, RB, Rams
The Rams acquired Sony Michel. That makes Xavier Jones less exciting, but Jones is still the best healthy running back on the roster. His ADP will drop, so you’ll be able to obtain him later in your draft.

Quez Watkins, WR, Eagles
Quez Watkins is the favorite to be the Eagles’ slot receiver, per reports. Watkins has been outstanding in training camp and the preseason, so he seems to be an appealing late-round sleeper.


Aug. 24

Travis Etienne, RB, Jaguars
Travis Etienne is likely out for the season with a Lisfranc injury.

James Robinson, RB, Jaguars
James Robinson is back in the conversation to be a second-round fantasy pick in the wake of Travis Etienne’s Lisfranc injury.

D’Andre Swift, RB, Lions
Reports indicate that the Lions are worried about D’Andre Swift’s Week 1 availability. It’s unclear when Swift will return from his groin injury, so this obviously has to force him down the rankings.


Aug. 21

Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, CeeDee Lamb, Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup, Cowboys
Adam Schefter said that Dak Prescott isn’t “fully back,” and he believes he may not be 100 percent “all season long.” Prescott is coming off an ankle injury, and he’s had issues with his shoulder as well. He’s being overdrafted, and if Schefter is correct, his play-makers are as well.


Aug. 20

Leonard Fournette and Ronald Jones, RBs, Buccaneers
Bruce Arians told the media that Giovani Bernard will be a major part of the offense. This is bad news for the other Buccaneer runners in what is currently a very crowded backfield.

Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, Lions
Breshad Perriman has been running with the second-team offense in Detroit. This is great news for Amon-Ra St. Brown, who was impressive in the preseason opener.


Aug. 19

Antonio Gibson, RB, Redskins
Kyle Allen told reporters that the Redskins plan on using Antonio Gibson like Christian McCaffrey. It’s unclear if this is true because Gibson wasn’t on the field on third down in the preseason opener, but perhaps things will change in the regular season.


Aug. 17

Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, Chiefs
I was down on Clyde Edwards-Helaire, even listing him on my 2021 Fantasy Football Busts page, but after thinking about it, I forgot to factor in the vast upgrades the Chiefs have made to their offensive line. Edwards-Helaire struggled last year after the season opener, but he had poor blocking in front of him most of the time.

David Montgomery, RB, Bears
I was concerned with David Montgomery’s blocking after the Bears jettisoned their two starting tackles from last season, but they signed Jason Peters to add some stability to the offensive line.


Aug. 14

Austin Ekeler, RB, Chargers
The Chargers will use a variety of running backs this year, according to head coach Brandon Staley. This is obviously bad news for Austin Ekeler, though he’ll still be a PPR monster.

Larry Rountree, RB, Chargers
Reports indicate that the Chargers really like sixth-round rookie Larry Rountree. It’s unclear how much he’ll into Austin Ekeler’s workload, but he’s worth a flier in the late rounds.


Aug. 12

Carson Wentz, Jonathan Taylor, Nyheim Hines, T.Y. Hilton, Michael Pittman Jr., Jack Doyle, Colts
There’s good news coming out of Indianapolis, as Carson Wentz is now “trending toward being available” for the season opener. We’ll see what happens, but this definitely makes me more bullish on all the Indianapolis players.


Aug. 11

Rashod Bateman, WR, Ravens
Rashod Bateman is week-to-week with a groin injury. Bateman could be ready for Week 1, but as a rookie, he needs as many reps as possible.


Aug. 10

Jakobi Meyers, WR, Patriots
Jakobi Meyers has been the most consistent receiver in Patriots’ training camp, according to reports. New England spent big money on Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne this offseason, but Meyers has been stealing the show. Still, the Patriots are so run-heavy that it’s difficult to roster any receiver on this team in normal leagues.

D’Andre Swift, RB, Lions
D’Andre Swift has missed significant practice time with a groin injury. Soft-tissue injuries tend to linger, but we’re still early enough into the preseason that I wouldn’t downgrade Swift. It’s just something to monitor for now.


Aug. 8

Darnell Mooney, WR, Bears
Darnell Mooney’s route running has been “on fire” during training camp, according to his head coach. With Anthony Miller gone, Mooney’s fantasy stock has risen lately.

Zack Moss, RB, Bills
Zack Moss has been running with the ones more often than Devin Singletary during training camp, according to the Athletic. It’s difficult to be optimistic about either, but Moss looks like the better option at the moment.


Aug. 7

Marquez Callaway, WR, Saints
Marquez Callaway has been the top receiver in training camp, according to reports. With Michael Thomas out for a while and Tre’Quan Smith banged up, Callaway is looking like the clear No. 1 target in the Saints’ new offense.

Tre’Quan Smith, WR, Saints
Tre’Quan Smith has missed some time with a leg injury. It’s unclear how serious this is, but it’s worth monitoring as we enter preseason.


Aug. 5

Jalen Hurts, QB, Eagles
Rumors have surfaced that the Eagles are attempting to trade for Deshaun Watson. A CBS report says “talks are heating up.” We’ll see what happens, but if this trade goes through, it’ll obviously damage Jalen Hurts’ draft stock. Hurts would naturally be out of a job whenever Watson returns from his impending suspension.

Julio Jones, WR, Titans
Julio Jones has missed the past couple of practices with some sort of injury. It’s unclear if it’s serious or not, but Atlanta fans know this procedure all too well. With Jones getting close to his mid-30s, the injuries will continue to be more difficult to overcome.


Aug. 4

Joe Burrow, Joe Mixon, Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Bengals
Reports indicate that the Bengals’ offense is really struggling in training camp thus far. Joe Burrow has looked much worse than last year, which can’t be a surprise because he isn’t a full year removed from a brutal knee injury. Meanwhile, the offensive line has struggled despite the addition of Riley Reiff. This could just be some FUD from the media, but a hobbled Burrow getting poor blocking isn’t something unexpected.

Michael Carter, RB, Jets
Michael Carter has been a step ahead of the other running backs on the roster, according to Connor Hughes of the Athletic. Carter is a solid value in the middle rounds as a potential starting running back.

Trey Lance, QB, 49ers
Trey Lance has been spectacular in 49ers’ training camp, making some unbelievable throws only a few quarterbacks in the NFL could complete. Kyle Shanahan previously said that Lance wouldn’t get first-team reps, but changed his mind Tuesday. If Lance is as great during the preseason, he will likely be the starter in the season opener.

David Montgomery, RB, Bears
Second-round rookie Teven Jenkins hasn’t practiced in training camp yet because of back tightness. This is obviously bad news for a Chicago offensive line that was shaky in the first place. Worse blocking will obviously hurt David Montgomery’s outlook.


Aug. 3

Marquise Brown, WR, Ravens
Marquise Brown suffered a hamstring injury that is considered significant. Soft-tissue injuries tend to linger, so this could trickle into the regular season.

Kenny Golladay, WR, Giants
Here we go again. Kenny Golladay suffered an injury during a disastrous Giants’ practice in which the entire team engaged in a brawl that had Daniel Jones trapped at the bottom of the pile. It’s unclear how severe Golladay’s leg malady is, but it’s a reminder that he played just five games last season.

Jonathan Taylor, RB, Colts
Like Carson Wentz, Quenton Nelson will miss up to 12 weeks with a foot injury. This will obviously hurt Jonathan Taylor’s fantasy upside.


Aug. 2

Saquon Barkley, RB, Giants
Saquon Barkley still isn’t practicing. There are reports about him making “strides” and “tangible progress,” but this act is growing tiresome. With the Giants re-signing Alfred Morris today, I’m leaning toward avoiding Barkley entirely in the first round.

Austin Ekeler, Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Chargers
There is no news on these guys, but I received a question Monday about why I moved up the three prominent Charger skill-position players in my recent update. I thought about it and realized that I like them all much more because of the great improvements the Chargers have made to their offensive line.

DeVonta Smith, WR, Eagles
DeVonta Smith will miss 2-3 weeks with an MCL injury. This isn’t the worst news, but any rookie needs as many snaps as possible.

Irv Smith, TE, Vikings
Kirk Cousins has developed a great connection with Irv Smith in training camp, according to multiple reports. With Kyle Rudolph gone, this could finally be the year that Smith lives up to his second-round draft status.

Carson Wentz, Jonathan Taylor, Nyheim Hines, T.Y. Hilton, Michael Pittman Jr., Jack Doyle, Colts
Carson Wentz will undergo foot surgery to remove a troublesome bone. He will be out 5-12 weeks. That’s a wide range, and I would lean toward the latter number in that projection because Wentz may not be 100 percent when he returns to action anyway. All Indianapolis players should be avoided except for Jonathan Taylor, who will take a smaller hit than the other players.


Aug. 1

T.J. Hockenson, TE, Lions
T.J. Hockenson has been Jared Goff’s favorite weapon at training camp, per several reports. This isn’t a surprise, given how bad Detroit’s receivers are.


July 30

Carson Wentz, Jonathan Taylor, Nyheim Hines, T.Y. Hilton, Michael Pittman Jr., Jack Doyle, Colts
Carson Wentz is out indefinitely due to a foot injury he suffered Thursday. This might just be nothing, but Wentz could have a major issue as well. If you’re drafting this weekend, avoid Wentz, move Jonathan Taylor several spots, and downgrade all the Colts’ receiving threats by 2-3 rounds.


July 28

Aaron Rodgers, Aaron Jones, Davante Adams, Allen Lazard, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Robert Tonyan, Packers
After vowing to never play for the Packers again, Aaron Rodgers has changed his mind. Rodgers has reported to the Packers, as Green Bay’s front office made a deal with him so that he can leave after this season. All of Green Bay’s skill-position players will get a huge bump.

Javonte Williams, Courtland Sutton, Noah Fant, Broncos
Aaron Rodgers has agreed to return to the Packers, so he will not be quarterbacking the Broncos this season. That said, Denver could still trade for Deshaun Watson, so all hope isn’t lost for these Bronco skill-position players.


July 24

Taysom Hill & Michael Thomas, QB/WR, Saints
Michael Thomas could miss multiple weeks of the regular season, according to Ian Rapoport. Thomas underwent surgery to repair ankle ligaments, which could keep him out in September. This hurts Taysom Hill as well, though Hill has a high floor because of his rushing ability.


July 23

Leonard Fournette, RB, Buccaneers; Cole Beasley and DeAndre Hopkins, WRs, Bills/Cardinals
The NFL installed a new rule today where all players will have to forfeit their paychecks if a game is postponed due to positive testing. Leonard Fournette, Cole Beasley and DeAndre Hopkins are some of the prominent players who have spoken out about this, even threatening to retire because the NFL is forcing its workforce to take an experimental, non-FDA approved medication that has not been tested for the long term. Hopkins will have to forfeit more than $20 million if he retires, so this is probably much ado about nothing, but it’s worth noting nonetheless.


July 22

Xavier Jones, RB, Rams
Xavier Jones “may quietly be one of the Rams’ better assets this fall,” according to Jourdan Rodrigue of the Athletic. Let the hype train begin! The Rams haven’t bothered investigating free agent running backs. Darrell Henderson isn’t very good, so they must really like what they have in Xavier Jones.


July 21

Cam Akers, RB, Rams
Cam Akers tore his Achilles and will be out for the year. He should be 100 percent for 2022.

Darrell Henderson, RB, Rams
Darrell Henderson’s stock has risen in the wake of Cam Akers’ torn Achilles. However, he’s now an overrated fantasy commodity. Henderson will be drafted early, but he is not a very good player, and I don’t think he can handle a full workload on his own.

Xavier Jones, RB, Rams
Xavier Jones is worth considering in the late rounds of your fantasy draft. I’m not a big Darrell Henderson fan, making Jones appealing as the second running back on the Rams’ roster now that Cam Akers is no longer available.


July 18

Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Cowboys
Multiple people in the Cowboys’ organization have praised Ezekiel Elliott this offseason. Dak Prescott said that Elliott is in the “best shape of his life,” while running backs coach Josh Hicks noted that Elliott is “way quicker and elusive” than he was in 2020. Elliott was out of shape last year and struggled as a result, but it sounds like he’s poised to rebound in 2021.


July 15

Saquon Barkley, RB, Giants
Saquon Barkley refused to say if he’ll be ready for Week 1, offering no timetable of a return to action. This is a concern, though Barkley got hurt early enough last year that there’s a good chance he’ll return by September.

Amari Cooper, WR, Cowboys
Amari Cooper will be “cutting it close” for training camp because he’s coming off ankle surgery, according to Mike Fisher of Sports Illustrated. This might be nothing, but it’s something that should be monitored in the coming weeks.


June 15

Melvin Gordon, RB, Broncos
Melvin Gordon hasn’t shown up to OTAs, allowing Javonte Williams to become the favorite to be Denver’s starting running back.

Denzel Mims, WR, Jets
Denzel Mims has not been appearing in three-receiver sets in practices this summer. Keelan Cole has been the third wideout instead. This is greatly disappointing for Mims, who was expected to make a leap in his second year.

Javonte Williams, RB, Broncos
Javonte Williams is expected to start in Week 1, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Denver Post. Melvin Gordon hasn’t shown up to OTAs at all, so with Phillip Lindsay gone, Williams is quickly becoming the favorite to handle the majority of the workload.


June 14

Byron Pringle, WR, Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes targeted Byron Pringle more than anyone else in minicamp. This is an interesting development because with Sammy Watkins gone, the No. 2 receiver job in a high-octane offense is wide open.

Laviska Shenault, WR, Jaguars
The Jaguar coaches have been buzzing over Laviska Shenault, according to Hays Carlyon of 1010 XL. Shenault had a nice rookie year and possesses some amazing potential. He could make a big leap forward with Trevor Lawrence as his quarterback.

Irv Smith Jr., TE, Vikings
Those who were expecting Irv Smith Jr.’s production to leap in the wake of the Kyle Rudolph defection will be disappointed because Mike Zimmer shot down that possibility. It’s possible that Zimmer could have been just concealing his plans, but there’s also a chance this was the truth. If so, we have to wonder why the Vikings wasted a second-round pick on Smith.


June 10

Elijah Moore, WR, Jets
Elijah Moore has been the most impressive player by far at OTAs, per a report from Connor Hughes of the Athletic. This is far from the only rookie puff piece we’ll see this offseason, but Moore is a legitimate talent, and the Jets don’t have much at the position.


June 6

Derrick Henry, RB, Titans
Derrick Henry will stand to benefit from the Julio Jones trade. Opposing teams will have to focus on Jones in addition to A.J. Brown, so Henry will confront fewer defenders in the box.

Julio Jones, WR, Titans
Julio Jones is far less appealing in Tennessee. Jones used to accumulate lots of garbage yardage in Atlanta, and he won’t do that as much in Tennessee because the Titans will be playing with a lead more often than the Falcons have in recent years.

Kyle Pitts, TE, Falcons
Julio Jones is gone, so someone besides Julio Jones will be catching tons of passes in garbage time. Kyle Pitts is the likely candidate to see his projected stats increase.

Matt Ryan, QB, Falcons
Matt Ryan, historically, has not been as good of a quarterback without Julio Jones. Kyle Pitts will help, but he’s just a rookie. Ryan is defintiely less appealing as a fantasy quarterback.

Ryan Tannehill, QB, Titans
The thought of drafting Ryan Tannehill, even in the late rounds, makes me throw up in my mouth a little bit. However, with Julio Jones on the roster, Tannehill is now an appealing streaming option versus bad aerial defenses.


June 5

Michael Carter, RB, Jets
According to Connor Hughes of the Athletic, it “won’t be long” until Michael Carter is the Jets’ No. 1 running back. Hughes observed Carter in practice and came away impressed. Frankly, Carter doesn’t even have to impress all that much, given the lack of competition.

Cornell Powell, WR, Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes called fifth-round rookie receiver Cornell Powell a “beast” for what he’s done in OTAs thus far. Feel free to roll your eyes because this isn’t the first time a rookie has been talked up in June practices. However, the fact remains that the Chiefs have an explosive offense that lacks a proven No. 2 receiver. It’s possible that Powell could take the job, which would instantly make him a viable fantasy option. He’s well worth a late-round fantasy pick.


May 31

Saquon Barkley, RB, Giants
The Giants may limit Saquon Barkley’s workload early in the same, according to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan. That may be the plan now, but if the Giants want to win games, they’ll want to have Barkley on the field as much as possible.

Julio Jones, WR, Falcons
Julio Jones is expected to be traded soon, which was already going to be a hit to his fantasy stock. It’s been reported that the Titans have emerged as the favorites. This would be awful for Jones’ fantasy output because Tennessee utilizes a run-heavy offense.

Trey Sermon, RB, 49ers
It was believed that Trey Sermon would begin behind Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson Jr. on the depth chart. However, Wilson will miss at least six games because of meniscus surgery, so Mostert will be the only running back standing in his way.

Jeff Wilson Jr., RB, 49ers
Jeff Wilson Jr. will miss the first six weeks of the season because of meniscus surgery, stemming from a weightlifting accident.








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2021 Fantasy Football Rankings: Quarterbacks - 9/1 (Walt)
2021 Fantasy Football Rankings: Running Backs - 9/8 (Walt)
2021 Fantasy Football Rankings: Wide Receivers - 9/5 (Walt)
2021 Fantasy Football Rankings: Tight Ends - 9/5 (Walt)
2021 Fantasy Football Rankings: Kickers - 6/9 (Walt)
2021 Fantasy Football Rankings: Defenses - 6/9 (Walt)
2021 Fantasy Football Rookie Rankings: Dynasty - 5/9 (Walt)



2021 Fantasy Football Mock Drafts:
2021 Fantasy Football Mock Drafts - 9/3 (Walt)



2021 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheets:
2021 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 250 - 9/8 (Walt)
2021 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 250 PPR - 9/8 (Walt)
2021 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 250 Half-PPR - 9/8 (Walt)
2021 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 250 2-QB - 9/8 (Walt)
2021 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 250 Touchdown League - 9/8 (Walt)
2021 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Custom - 9/8 (Walt)
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2021 Fantasy Football Spreadsheets - 9/8 (Walt)

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2021 Fantasy Football Stock Report: OTAs, Training Camp - 9/6 (Walt)
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2021 Fantasy Football Busts - 8/31 (Walt)
2021 Fantasy Football Value Picks - 8/31 (Walt)
2021 NFL Preseason Game Recaps - 8/30 (Walt)
2021 Fantasy Football Stock Report: Preseason Games - 8/30 (Walt)
2021 Fantasy Football Round-by-Round Strategy Guide - 8/12 (Walt)






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